The Worcester spy., 1898-11-20
Spain Soon to
Learn Them.
NO DEVIATION.
America to Demand Imme-
diate AmicabIe Adjustments

Paris, Nov, 19.-There was no meet
Ing OF the joint peace commissions to-
day The first proposition here from
the United States commission to the
spaniards regarding the Philippine is
lands, was not a demand
To bring the subject under discus
sion the Americans merely submitted
a proposal to take over the Philippine
islands and reimburse Spain the
amount spent by her there for per-
manent betterments.
Spain declined the terms and the pro-
posal itself. Had she stopped there. the
United States would have been com
PEELED TO repeat the proposal as an III
tlmIum or TO tender new terms.
Spain, however, put off any consider
ation of terms by declaring that the
United States had no right to impugn
her sovereignty in the Philippines:
that If her sovereignty there should
pass, the mortgages she had placed
on the Philippine revenues must be
underWritten, and that her dignity
forbade her to heed amy questions as
TO now she had spent the loans so se-
cured. The Americans patiently re-
piled that the peace conference was
charged with the disposition Of the
Philippines and the sovereignty there.
They laid down the broad principle
that expenses incurred in a futile at
tempt at subjugauon shall not be
loaded upon the colony seeking free
dom. Finally, they affirmed their right
to inquire as to the destination of
moneys raised by pledging the Phil
1ppine revenues.
All this postponed a discussion of
the main question; but in their next
memorandum the American commIs-
Sloners will go to the vital point De
finite notice will be given that the
United States will take over all the
Philippines; and Spain will unques-
tionably learn the terms from which
there will be no deviation. 1t is more
than likely thai the Americans will
Hatly summon Spain to effect immeui-
ate anicable adjustments.
Should she refuse to make a treaty
ceding the Philippines TO the United
States, the instant alternative for Am
erica viii be the conquest Of that ter
ritorY at an increased cost to Spain in
the final settlement, and possibly with
loss of Spanish life
1t may be held that the Philippines
II ceded now without any terms, would
be an inadequate indemnity to the
United States for their war expenses
already incurred and that Spain can
not expect, as a legal or a moral right.
any monetary concessions, Philippine
acquisition by conquest however,
would entail upon the United States a
waste of treasure far greater than a
sum that Spain would accept now as
the basis of peaceful cession.
Spain, being barren of territory or cash
to indemnify the United States, even
at this junc5ure, would be still less able
10 meet an additional expense to the
Americans in further operations in the
Philippines. Moreover, a speedy ad-
justment of local Philippine conditions
is demanded. Spain could not in any
circumstances effect this. The Ameri-
cans have assumed responsibility, and
they feel that the delay here prevents
their disCharging it. 1t is fully realized
that business interests in the United
States are more or less in a condition of
unrest, pending definite peace conclu-
sions, whether now or after renewed
hosdlities, This disquietude, they feel,
should be composed, and the normal
conditions of peaceful thrift be estap-
lished.
Moreover although Spain affects to
believe otherwise, the quality of mercy
is not absent from the situation. The
American commissioners cannot fail to
see with a certain amount of pity the
fac ing away of a once proud power be
reft of her colonies in the east ana
west. While Spain has no legal or
moral right to ask the United states to
be a partner in her losses the AIile!lI
cans here recognize her territorial
shrinkage. her lessened resources, her
empty treasury and her debt-b burdened
people They have, of course, no pow
err to express any such feeling of SYM
pathy through the United States treas
ury. but always assuming the interests
of humanity to be concurrently served,
gratification on the part of Americans
would follow relief to Spain
Spain must confront Philippine sur
render May she not prefer acquies-
cence and some financial relief to pro-
tracted opposition and greater loss in
the end? If she acquiesces, then peace
will follow; if she does not, then the
war will continue.
The question is simply this: Is spot
peace worth spot cash? 1t is believed
the American commissioners have been
deliberatng along this line, and that
they are inclined to answer the question
afiirmatlvely.
What the amount may be, must obVl-
ousIy be unknown outside the commits
sion-possibly 100000, coo; probably less.
In any tender to Spain, care viii be
taken. doubtless. to convince the Span
ish commissioners that the offer of
what may seem to them small
amount. is not to be construed as indi-
eating that the Americans might be
iockeyed into paying a larger sum.
Neither Spanish debts. bonds nor mort
cages of any description will be con-
sidered. the transaction being cleared
.up ON the spot, probably if at all.