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| William McKinley. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, August 3, 1898.
OUR TERMS ACCEPTED.
Principal Conditions Satisfactory to the Spaniard.
DETAILS ARE ONLY NEEDED.
Spain Will Ask For One or Two Amendments.
NEW YORK, Aug. 3.—A special cable to the New York Journal from Madrid says:
"Spain accepts the principal conditions of peace as set forth by the American government and only the peace details are needed to cause all hostilities to cease at once.
"A peace delegation will be chosen at once with the representatives of the United States.
"The peace conditions set forth by President McKinley were discussed at length by Sagasta's ministry and at the conclusion of the conference it was given out officially that the terms of the United States would be accepted. There are one or two amendments in the proposition of the United States that Spain will ask to be made and if this is done peace will be declared at once."
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| P. Mateo Sagasta. |
NEWS CONFIRMED.
Gibraltar Correspondent Learns of the Acceptance of Our Terms.
LONDON, Aug. 3.—The Gibraltar correspondent of The Daily News says:
"The censorship is daily becoming more severe, and little is known beyond the fact that peace is assured. It is understood that the note from America asks only part of the Philippines, and that Senor Sagasta having replied that the terms will be accepted hostilities are consequently suspended.
"A commission will be appointed to determine the basis of peace. The chief difficulty, it is asserted in official circles, is as to the date and manner of the evacuation of the Spanish possessions.
"There is also the question of the disposal of the war material in Cuba. Senor Sagasta, if he has a chance, will probably represent a restitution of the material as a diplomatic victory.
"It has just been asserted here that the premier has succeeded in obtaining slightly improved terms. The treaty will not be signed before September."
TROOPS FOR MANILA.
Reinforcements to Be Sent to General Merritt at Once.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.—Although the war department officials will not admit that they have any intention of reinforcing further General Merritt's forces at Cavite, there is reason to believe that some of the troops now in eastern camps who desire to see active service will soon find the opportunity unless the government shall change its present plans with respect to the Philippines. It is believed to be necessary even if our claim is limited the claims stated in the conditions submitted to Spain, namely, to the military occupation and government of the territory on the shores of the bay of Manila, to furnish to General Merritt a larger force than he has now at his command.
It is realized that 20,000 soldiers can scarcely be expected to maintain United States possession and protect the inhabitants over a territory of this extent, for it must be remembered that the bay of Manila is 25 miles deep from the entrance at Corregidor Island to the city of Manila at its head. It will also be necessary to possess and protect a zone extending some distance back of the city in order to make sure of the preservation of the water works.
OCCUPATION OF CUBA.
Army of 50,000 Men May Be Sent Under General Lee as Military Governor.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.—The administration is contemplating the detail of an army of 50,000 men for the occupation of Cuba after peace shall have been declared. This occupation from the present outlook will begin in the early fall.
The force of 50,000 will be selected from the volunteer army exclusively, and pains will be taken to give those regiments which have not yet gone to the front a chance to see service in Cuba. Military government will temporarily prevail throughout the island in all probability, and Major General Fitzhugh Lee will be placed in command of the garrisoning army and made military governor of the territory.
MCGRAW, N. Y.
Breezy Items of Corset City Chat.
The following from a letter received from the Rev. Leslie R. Groves, chaplain of the Eighth United States infantry, former pastor of the Presbyterian church in this village will interest every one here in his old home.
—It is a good joke on you, but if you get a letter from me you will have to pay the postage. There are no stamps in camp now, and the letters have to go as soldiers' letters, postage to be collected. And the envelopes we use are second-hand. Fortunately I still have paper taken from a Spanish store in Siboney, [Cuba]. Let me tell you that you cannot learn much of what is going on here from the newspapers. We just got a Sun of the 25th of June and are amused by the report given of the Rough Riders. The battle last Friday was a fierce one. At El Caney where the Eighth was, the fight was all day, and the Eighth was in it from 8 A. M. till between 4 and 5, when the place was taken. It is good I suppose to praise the volunteers [Rough Riders], but the regulars did the fighting. A small company of our regiment under a sergeant took a block house, driving out the Spanish with a brave charge. The Twenty-fifth (colored) have been conspicuous for bravery and good fighting, and a brave charge that took a Spanish stronghold. I was not right in it that day, but the bullets whizzed all around me for a time. Hospital men were shot right by us. I was left in charge of thirty wounded out under some trees all day, and with part of them all night. The doctors and hospital corps moved on to a bigger tree where they treated the greater part of the cases. My hospital was not a failure, as a serious case, shot through the lungs who seemed sure to die, was breathing easier next morning and seems to be getting well now. Our regiment moved on in the night, and in the morning early I moved on with the assistant surgeon and a hospital man. We did not find the regiment that day, but found some Spanish sharpshooters.
The next day we went on, and a sharpshooter got after us in exposed places, firing thirty or forty or more shots at us. None hit us. Since that we have had two camps. Most of the time has been taken up with truces, and the last ends at noon to-morrow, when it is expected Sampson will begin [firing], and if he does not finish it, the artillery here takes it up, and then the infantry. I do not expect it to get to that. I hope not, at least.
We quote now and then the official directions for living in this climate—Don't sleep on the ground, etc. We were sent on shore—the officers with nothing but what they had on. The men were better off. They had a shelter half and blanket each, and three days' rations. I had my cape—for I thought it might rain—and five hardtack got from the steward of the ship, and two thin sandwiches. We have slept in swamps and every old place more than two weeks now. My food was for three days what I found. Since then I have had food enough, and have got a half share in a shelter tent. For a few days about half the men had fevers. The days have been very hot, and we have been for some days wading creeks knee deep with no chance to dry the feet. The fever struck me two or three days ago. This morning it was way up, but the doctor knocked it out and I feel all right to-night but weak.
This climate is all right and very pleasant on the whole if one has a house or a good tent. It is no worse than Albany in July. But when it rains almost every night and one sleeps in wet clothes in the wet grass and then marches a few hours in the scorching sun with all his stuff and a few days' rations on his back, he is quite likely to have a little fever, you know. We have now an old house furnished the doctor that we use to pack headquarters rations. That is a relief. We hope when Santiago is taken to get our camping outfits and clean clothes. We are fortunate in our doctor—a contract surgeon—who has lived near New Orleans in the land of fevers for several years. He has had yellow fever, and practiced in the midst of it.
ORDER MODIFIED.
Officers In the United States Service Retain Their State Commissions.
ALBANY, Aug. 3.—Adjutant General Tillinghast has issued a general order modifying the general order issued by him on July 29 to the effect that the "Commissioned officers of the National Guard, who have entered into the United States service, but not with their organizations, and who have not resigned, have by accepting a commission in the volunteer service from the governor vacated their commission in the National Guard and their positions are hereby declared vacant."
The order now issued states that the vacancies declared to exist by the above order will exist only until the return of the officers from the service of the United States. Upon the return of such officers they will resume their old commissions.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Reorganization in Cuba.
The instinct of the English speaking peoples is to build up as well as to tear down. This is well illustrated in the prompt measures to reconstruct the conditions of order, government and trade in the city and province of Santiago. Immediately on the surrender of that center of eastern Cuba with its 25,000 defenders to General Shatter's army of inferior number, a system of administration was organized wisely and liberally planned. The Cubans appear to have been greatly disgruntled because the province was not handed over to them to govern in their own fashion. The American government naturally prefers to give its insurgent allies some lessons in the arts of political and civil management before relegating to them so difficult a task. Spanish-American peoples left to themselves have not proved themselves adepts in these most complicated problems of civilization. The disposition suspected from certain Cuban manifestations, too, rather to obey the dictates of hate and persecution toward the opposing element than to follow the policy of conciliation and clemency has had its due weight. We have no sympathy with the cruel and revengeful instincts of a Spanish inheritance. What we did not do in our own war we shall not permit in a foreign war.
The American administration imposes no restraints on life, liberty and business, except such as are essential to law and order. The military problem having been settled, freedom of action and complete protection are guaranteed to all who refrain from hostility to the new regime. This forecasts what the whole policy will be in treating the question as we gain further possession. The sooner the Cuban insurgent government learns to acquiesce and follow cheerfully in the same steps the sooner it will achieve its ambition and justify itself before the world.
◘ Aguinaldo, the insurgent leader in Luzon, evidently distrusts the purposes of the Americans. The proposition of his committee to Captain General Augusti to unite the Spaniards and the Filipinos under one flag, declare a republic, persuade the Americans to withdraw or invoke the interference of the powers has a treacherous ring quite in accord with his career.
BREVITIES.
—The electric arc lights in the streets are being run till daylight the three nights of the firemen's convention.
—The merry-go-round on Clinton-ave. is crowded with riders and the lot in the vicinity is crowded with spectators.
—A false alarm of fire will be rung in at about 7:30 o'clock to-night to call out the fire department to let the visitors see what the Cortland fire laddies can do.
—It is known to the police that a lot of crooks are in town. One man had his pocket picked to-day. It will be well for every one to keep an eye on their houses these days and see that locks and window catches are secure and also to lookout for their pockets on the street.
—The two small boys arrested yesterday for stealing the pocketbook of Driver Oothoudt of the Summerhill stage were kept locked up in the private office of Police Justice Mellon till 9:30 last night to give them a chance to think of their offence [sic]. They were then given a serious talking to by the justice and were sent home.
—The name of the seventh delegate from Willet to the Republican county convention on Friday which was missing when the list was published is George B. Palmer. Some one borrowed the list from our correspondent and failed to return it before the names must be mailed, and he could not think at once of the name of the seventh man.
—The concert given last night at the park by the City band was arranged by the Firemen's league and not by the Traction company. It was given on the veranda of the pavilion immediately upon the return of the delegates from McGrawville, beginning at about 6:30 and concluding at about 7:30 o'clock and was a remarkably fine one. Some people who went over expecting it to be at the usual hour were disappointed in finding all over. It was advertised simply as being an adjunct to the delegates' entertainment and not as a park attraction. The concert to-night will begin at the usual hour—about 7:30 o'clock. The program is given elsewhere.
THE COUNTYHOUSE.
Encouraging Reports Given by the Local Visiting Committees.
The regular meeting of the local visiting committee of the Cortland county poor house was held Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the residence of W. H. Crane in Homer, with the Rev. G. H. Brigham in the chair. The reports of the committees appointed at a previous meeting to visit the institution were listened to with much interest, this being the first official account given since the present administration came into office. The report was most satisfactory. All the rooms have been renovated by paint or by paper or by both. A long felt want has been supplied in placing iron bedsteads in the dormitories with new spreads for the same. The bedding has been thoroughly repaired. New suits have been given out to the men needing them, and a satisfactory prospect for health and comfort seemed to exist. The only unfavorable criticism was in regard to the hospital, but assurances were given that the conditions should be improved which, we understand, have been fulfilled. The food was good, abundant and well cooked. Forty inmates were reported. The outlook under the present management is most promising. The committees appointed to visit the countyhouse for the quarter ending Oct. 1, are:
August—B. B. Smith, E. D. Webb.
September—Mrs. C. P. Walrad, Miss Editha Stevens.
October—Mrs. C. Hitchcock, Mrs. W. H. Crane.
The meeting adjourned to the first Tuesday in October to meet at the residence of Mr. C. Hitchcock in Homer.
JANE M. CRANE, Sec.
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