The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-25
SPAIN TO ANSWER BY MONDAY.
The American Proposition Includes the Payment of $50 600, 600 In.
demnity and Spai1Tor Twelve Years to Enjoy the Same Com.
mercial Privileges as the United States with the Islands.
Our Commissioners also Demand one of the Caro-.
line Islands and Coaing Stations in Other
Spanish Possessions.
Spanish Possessions.

peace commissioners to continue the
negotiations in Paris. SECRETARY Alger
expresses disbelief in the accuracy of
the report, or rather he feels that it
was based upon the personal express
sion Of opinion of President Rios, OK
the Spanish commission, and hat he
did not necessarily represent the for
NAL opinion Of the full commission.
Still, the breach, if breach there has
been, would not be q matter of sur
prise to the state department., which
has shaped Instructions to the Ameri-
can commissioners 50 as to bring the
negotiations in Paris to a sharp issue,
one way or the other today.
If President Rios did express the
determination of the Spaniards, under
their instructions the American COM
missioners viii leave Paris for the
United States at Once. 1t is said at
the state department that nearly all
Of their W-.k in such case will go for
nothing.
This does not necessarily wipe out
what has been accomplished under the
terms Of the protocol. Each article of
the protocol must stand, for it was in
no respect dependent on what would
follow at Paris, saving the one clause
touching the Philippines. FOr instance,
Spain agreed positively to relinquish-
ment of her sovereignty over Cuba
and Porto Rico and ~evacuate those
Islands and to Cede to us one of the
LadrOne stands for a naval station.
Those agreements are beyond recall
and all that was left to be settled at
Paris related to the Philippines. This
is the position of the United States as
at the state department.
AS to what shall fO1iOW-peace or
wharf.-the officials are not clear and
earnest consideration will be given to
this subject before any decision is an
nounced. 1t is believed that the Span
ish forces in Cuba will continue the
evacuation of the island which is now
in progress. 1t is not thought probable
that they will attack the United States
forces; the latter will not attack them
so long as they continue to carry out
the terms of the protocol. There is no
problem connected with Porto Rico,
which is now completely in our pos
session. Gaum, one of the LadrOneS,
can be easily garrisOned at any time,
the Spanish force there having sur
rendered. This leaves about the only
questions to be determined those con-
nected with the Philippines. 1t is not
DellcN cl llldI Spun Will 1ldke any cl-
fort to reCOnquer those Stands.
Meanwhile, the United States militia
ry and naval commanders. probably,
will be directed to extend their Occu-
patton at once to the whole group of
islands, though it is not clear that
his can be accomplished without much
trouble and perhaps a hostile clash
with the insurgents. For some reason
a speedy decision to undertake this
work would be acceptable to the state
department. There are foreign inter
ests and lives and property at stake
there for which the United States has
assumed a moral and technical reSpOn
Sibility.
THE AMERICAN ULTIMATUM.
Paris, November 21.-The Spanish
and American peaces commission
met in joint session at 2 o'clock this
afternoon. The Americans declared
the United States must have the en-.
tire Philippine archipelago and for {
treaty of cessiOn Of the islands, the
Americans rendered to Spain $40, 900,
900.
1t is further declared that it is the
purpose of the United States TO main
tain the Philippines an open door
10 the worlds commerce. On the term:
named. the United States propose
mutual REIMBURSEMENT of all claim.
for indemnity, national or personal
subsequent to the outbreak of the las
Cuban inSurrectiOn.
November 2Sth is fixed as the date
on which the United States commission
decides a definite response must b.
given to tOday'S propositions and al
subjects in issue here.
1t is also declared that the mite
States desire to treat on the religion
freedom of the Caroline stands a
agreed upon etwee the United State
and Spain in 1886, and also for the &C
QUESTION of one of the Caroline is
lands for an American naval station
and of ca~ble-landing rights at Othe
places in Spanish jurisdiction and tn
revival of certain Spanish-America,
treaties as heretofore in force.
The Americans also refuse to arbi
trate article 8 of the peace protocol
bearing upon the future dispositio
and control of the Philippine islands.
The memorandum of the America
commission embodying the above prop
ositions is long and was not read i
full. The vital portions, however
were communicated verbally to tn
Spanish commissioners in PRACTICAL
these terms:
THE fact was cited that the pro
posal presented by the American CON
missioners in behalf of the governmer
for the cessiOn of the Philippine island
TO the United states, having been re
iected by the Spanish commissioners
and the counter proposal of the latte
for the withdrawal of the America
forces from the islands and the pay
ment of an indemnity by the Unite
States to Spain having been ~rejecte
by the American commissioners tt
latter. deeming il essential that II
present negotiations. already great
prOtracted, should be brought to q
90 ~ 0nI 1nEnitn nnnPl1Sjnn NO
begged to present a new ~prOpOsitiC
~embodying the concessions, which, fl
the sake of peace, their governmel
would, under the circumstances, |
willing to tender.
The government of the Unite
States is unable to modify the pr,
posal heretofore made for the cessiC
of the entire archipelago of the Phi
ippines; but the American commission
ers are authorized to offer to Spai