The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-18

Paris, November 14.-There was no
joint session of the peace commissions
today. Secretary Moore, of the United
states commission, received from Sec
retay Ojeda of the Spanish commits
sion a note saying that the Spanish
commissioners had found it impossible
TO prepare their memorandum for pre-
sentatiOn today, and asking if the
United States commissioners would be
Inconvenience, if, owing to the late
arrival from Madrid of expected data,
the Spaniards should request that the
next meeting be deferred until Wednes-
day.
Secretary Moore replied that the Amer
lean commissioners were ready to ac-
cOmmOdate the Spanish commission
ers in this matter and the joint session
was deferred until Wednesday next.
Importance is attached to this delay,
it being regarded as indicating that the
Spanish commissioners are preparing
for a final and in these negotiations
and it may now be definitely stated
that they will not sign a treaty of
peace which yields to Spain no more
for the Philippine islands than has
thuS far been offered or indicated by
the Americans. Should the latter an
nOunCe that the United States is only
willing to reimburse Spain for her pa
cific expenditures in the Philippine is
lands, the Spanish commissioners will
reply that their mission is finished.
Should this occur the S~paniards will
also suggest a suspension of the negO-
tiatiOns through the commission and
resumption Of negotiations between
Madrid and Washington.
The attitude of the Spaniards is ex-
planned by the fact that the members
of the Spanish commission have pOliti-
cal alliances and personal responsible
tiles 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 go. 1t is
pointed out that if the five Spanish
commissioners here signed a treaty
yielding the Philippine islands to the
United States without lessening SPANS
debt in an appreciable degree, they
could not return home with the pros
pect of any political futur before them
anu DOSolDlN "OUlu DC III ohoC VI II
lence at the hands of mobs.
At the next meeting of the commits
sioners the Americans will learn def
nitely the attitude of Spain On any
]prOpOsitiOn thus far made. The Span
iards, however, in this presentation,
will not declare all negotiations closed.
They will insist that the sovereignty
of Spain over the Philippine islands is
l----1 -..:~, L-,+ will ~ " na
SPANS readiness to yield that sOver-
eighty for an adequate, equivalent and
will then invite negotiations under the
construction of the protocol. II
American commissioners may then
communicate their final attitude to-
ward Spain, but the Americans are eX-
pected, at a future meeting, to present
a carefully prepared conclusion OF their
contention and conditions. Should
they be not different from those al
ready presented, the time Will then
have arrived when Spain will declare
herself helpless, though steadfaSt, and
will await the next step Of the United
States. Whichever it may be she Will
be able to say to her creditors that she
has lone her utmost and that the issue
must rest between them n the Unit
ed States.
A dispatch to the Temps from Mad
rid says the officials there do not be-
lieve peace negotiations will be broken
off. 1t adds: IF the United States
persist in the present claims Spain will
accept the conditions after formally
announcing at a session of the COM
mission in a circular to the powers
that she yields to force, and owing to
the impOssibility of renewing the war
without unobtaining assistance in de-
fence of her rights
Berlin. November IA high official
of the German foreign office asserts
that no communications or negOtia-
tions have occurred between the pow
ers regarding the Philippine question.
Germany, he says, has only CONNER
cial interests to protect there.
MUTINY OF SPANISH SOLDIERS.
Key West, Fla, November 14-Pri-
vate reports from Puerto Principe and
Neuvitas, says that seven thousand reg
ulars mutined demanding their pay be-
fore e~mbarking for Spain. About four
thousand armed soldiers, the reports
add. presented themselves in front or
the palace, calling on the military gov
ernOr, Emilio March, for their overdue
pay. Thereupon General March drew
his sword and ordered them to disband.
The soldiers. however. refused to obey
and some of them. armed with loaded
rifles, threatened the life Of the gen.
eral. who returned his sword to its
s%cabbard, crying out: DO you wish
to kill me? Well, kill me-"
The soldiers in reply shouted: No,
no, we only want our pay before en-
barking for SPAIN
General March promised them thai
they would be paid and the soldiers re-
turned to their quarters peaceably.
The steamer Alava left Havana four
days ago with $500 0 with which to
pay those soldiers who were to embark
Immediately for Spain.
The cruiser Alfonso XIII, and the
u,,DhDof IcohoI haun nr0oondpI for