The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-10-14
PEACE COMMISSION.
Members Have Not Considered In
Joint Session the Philippines.
10 QUESTION YET DISPOSED OF.
The Spanish Commissioners Have Asked, 1t
Is Believed, 20 Have the Cuban Debt
Assumed By the United
States

Assumed b the United
States.
Washington, Oct Ia The peace
commissioners in Paris, so far from
reaching point Of absolute variance
on the question Of the Philippines,
have not as yet taken up that subject
for consideration It is true that, at
the very first session Of the Joint com
mission, the Spanish representatives
sought to raise a question concerning
the occupancy Of Manila bay and town
by the United States military AMI
naval forces The United States com
missiOners promptly refused to con
slider the point in any aspect and, with
some reluctance, the Spaniards gave
over, for the time being, the effort to
raise that issue. Since then the com
mission, whenever meeting jointly,
has been engaged entirely with three
questions, to the complete exclusion
Of the Philippines. These questions
relate entirely TO Cuba, Porto Rico and
Guam and, according to the very last
reports from the American commits
siOners to Washington, they are still
under consideration.
The United States will not assume
any financial indebtedness as a result
OF the eessiOn or release of Cuba and
Porto Rico 1t was fully expected by
the authorities here that the Spanish
contingent on the peace commission
would make a strong effort to make
the assumption Of the heavy financial
obligations Of these islands a cOndi-
ton of the cessiOn of Porto Rico and
the abandonment and sovereignty over
Cuba But the American commission
ers were fully and definitely instruct
ed On these points, and the general
tenor Of these instructions was that
such obligations were not to be as
sumed by the United States.
No dissatisfaction is felt here at the
progress Of the commission in the set
Element Of the questions assigned tOit
It was fully understood that the issues
presented would require the most deli
cate and cautious handling and, while
the American commissioners were ex-
Peeted to deal with these with the
greatest frmness, it was realized that
some consideration must be shown for
the Spanish commissioners, who would
be obliged at least to make an effort
to secure an abatement Of the Ameri-
can demands in order to satisfy public
feeling at home
It can be stated that there has been
no diminution in the confidence of the
administration in a satisfactory out
come Of the peace negotiations at
Paris When that city was selected
for the meeting place Of the peace
commissioners, at the most earnest and
prayer Of NJ. CambOn, it was
understood that the American commits
siOners would be obliged to bear up
against a strong pressure from the pro
Spanish element in the French press,
but this had all been discussed before
the commissioners sailed from Amer
lea, and the president was satisfied
that the men be had selected to repre-
sent the United States were of suffi-
cient individual strength to resist any
outside influences
no QUESTION YET DISPOSED OF.
Paris, Oct 12--After a fourth Joint
session the American and Spanish
peace commissions adjourned without
having reached a final conclusion as
to any point in the protocol Thus
far there has been no joint formulation
or capitalization Of views to be re-
turned by each commission to its gov
eminent for embOdying in the final
treaty. The question Of the Philip
pines has not yet been considered in
joint session, though the Americans,
at their separate sessions, have &C
quired exhaustive information from
persons who have lived in the Philip
pine islands and done business there
They are now, therefore, we'll equipped
to discuss the subject when 1t comes
up
The Spanish commissioners have pre-
scented written views, expressions and
to which there have been
written rejoinders- These, in the orig
inal and in translatiOns, have been
read at the joint sessi ons; while during
the recesses they have been respectively
and responses formulated to
them, rendered into both English and
Spanish for the next joint session. 1
The Spanish, it is believed, have asked
TO have the Cuban debt assumed by /
the United States, urging that the
debt should pass with the sovereignty. |
The debt so presented for Ameri- I
can assumption covers the expense I
Of the ten years insurrectiOn, the re- I
cent insurrection and the war with I
the United States. as far as SPANS I
outlay in the war can be classified 4
against Cuba The Spanish win 4
doubtless also urge equities in stocks, I
water front betterments, public build /
iugs and perhaps war material 1t is /
possible that this contention viii re-
eeive consideration on the basis Of 1
equities between mortgagor and mort 4
gagee-
Thus far no disposition has been de- I
7eloPed on either side 10 delay the /
Ultimate conclusions and the end Of
he work IN hand The American .
commissioners are anxious to conclude /
rs soon as possible, and on recess days 4
they are 6eFoting from three to I've
hours to discussions and details
70 Take Possession or Porto Rico