The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-15

Next Joint Session of Peace Commit
siOns to BE Held Wednesday.

Next joint Session of Peace Commits
siOns to Be Held Wednesday.
PARIS, Nov. H-There was no joint ses-
sions of the peace commissions to-day. Sec
retary Moore, of the United States commits
sion, received from Secretary Ojeda, of the
Spanish commission, this morning a note
saying that the Spanish commissioners had
found it impossible to prepare :har memo
randum for presentation to-day and asking
if the United States commissioners would be
Inconvenience if, owing to the late arrival
from Madrid of extra data, the Spaniards
should request that the next meeting be
deferred until Wednesday. Secretary Moore
replied that the American commissioners
were quite ready to accommodate the Span
ish commissioners in this matter and the
session was practically deferred until
Wednesday next.
Importance is attached to this delay, it
being regarded as indicating that the Span
ish commissioners are preparing for a final
stand in these negotiations, and it may now
be definitely stated that they will not sign
a treaty of peace which yields 10 Spain no
more from the Philippine islands than has
thus far been offered or indicated by the
Americans. Should the latter announce
that the United States is only willing to re-
imburse Spain for her pacific expenditures
in the Philippine islands, the Spanish COM
missioners will reply that their mission is
finished Should this occur it is possible
the Spaniards will also suggest suspen-
sion of negotiations through the commission
and their resumption of negotiations be-
tween Madrid and Washington. This atti-
tude of the Spaniards is explained by the
fact that the members of the Spanish COM
mission have political alliances and person
al responsibilities to constituencies and the
national creditors of Spain, which restrict
them to certain lines, which are as far as
the Ministry at Madrid cares to CO. 1t is
pointed out that if the five Spanish com
missioners here signed a treaty yielding
the Philippine islands to the United States
without lessening Spains debt in an appre-
ciable degree, they could not return home
with the prospect of any political future
before them, and possibly would he in dam
ger of violence at the hands of mobs.
At the next meeting of the commissions
the Americans will learn the definite Gtti-
tude of Spain on any proposition thus far
made. The Spanards, however, i'll this pre-
sentation, will not declare all negotiations
closed. They will insist that The sovereignty
of Spain over the Philippine islands is he
yond question but will announce SPANS
readiness to yield that sovereignty for an
adequate equivalent, and will then invite
negotiations under the Spanish constrrc-
tion of the protocol. The American com
missioners may then communicate their at
titude to the Spaniards, put the Americans
are expected at a future me eeting to pre-
sent carefully prepared conclusion Of their
contention and conditions. Should tEey be
different from those already presented the
time will then have arrived wnen Spain
will declare herself helpless. though stead
fast, and will await she neat steps CT the
United States whatever it may be Thus
Spain will be able 10 say TO her craIitors
that she has done her utmost ami tina; the
issue must rest between them and the
United States.