The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-15


WASHINGTON, Aug. 14.-The most
serious problem that will present it
self to the peace commissioners will
be the future of the Philippines. Be
fore the commission assemblies 1t Is
hoped that affairs of Cuba and Porto
Rico will be found in such process OF
adjustment as to leave little for the
commission to consider under that
head. The REIMBURSEMENT by Spain Of
= all sovereignty over the islands In the
West Indies will leave only questions
of property to be settled between the
governments-thati Is, what Spain shall
take away and what shall remain as
spoil of war, and the protection of
Spanish subjects and their property In
the Islands.
The greater questions growing out of
the war, so far as Cuba and Porto
Rico are concerned, will have to be
dealt with by the United States alone.
The fact that the Philippines will
present the only difficult problem in the
peace negotiations has caused the ad
ministration to give this subject care
full consideration.
Several suggestions have been made
as to what shall be done-one being
the retention Of the bay, city and har-
Dor of Manila, just what the protocol
gives temporarily. Another Is that
Subig bay and a sufficient amount Of
territory for naval coaling station
be secured, and the building up Of an
American city at that place begun.
Still another idea, which IS being con-
sidered, is the retention of the island
Of Luzon, the advocates of that plan
believing that there would be trouble
between the governments, each occupy
ing a portion Of the island with a line
of demarcation such as would exist in
case Manila and the bay only We're OBJ
tanned.
The island Of Luzon Is the largest
OF the group and contains about 3,000,-
o00 people, which are said to be the bet
ter class in the Philippines. 1t Is be-
heved, however, that the administra-
ton and the commission will be great
ly influenced by the reports which Ad-
nliral Dewey and Gen. Merritt will
make on the subject. Their reports are
expected before the commission meets.
PEACE PROBLEMS.
The final termination as to the gov
Hrnment of Porto Rico and the settle
ment Of the government Of Cuba are
problems for settlement, but the i'm
preston prevails that these islands
will become quite rapidly American
lzed, and every encouragement for them
to do so will be given. Porto Rioo will
be under military control for the pres
ent. Cuba also will be similarly gov
erned, but it Is probable that American
reforms in the matter Of government
will be such that the people of Cuba
will see the advantage of becoming
annexed to the United States.
There has been little doubt about
soon settling the transfer Of Porto
Rico, and the reception which the
American troops have received in that
island is a justification for the belief.
Porto Rico viii be treated at once as
an American possession. The first
movement in this direction will be the
sending of a delegation of officials from
the postoffice department to investigate
and report upon the mail facilities now
there, and to make such recommends
tiens as they determine upon Mail
routes and methods of postoffices gen.
orally in the island will be examined.
Military postoffices will be established
at once wherever troops are stationed,
and at such other. points as may be
demanded by the interests of Ameri-
cans and the people of the islands, If
the present postoffices are not availa-
BILE.
a similar course will be taken in
Cuba, but this likely to be delayed, as
the immediate removal of the Spanish
and occupation by the United States is
not expected.