The San Francisco call., 1898-12-01
PARAIORY
 ID SIGNING
 PEACE TREATY Commissioners Dis Cuss Articles. THREE ARE AGREED UPON EMBRACE CUBA, PORTO RICO, GUAM AND PHILIPPINES. Remaining Matters for Consideration Include Release of Political
 Prisoners and Religious
 Freedom.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PARIS, Nov 30.-The United States Peace Commission held a session to- day for the purpose of discussing the draft of the treaty articles made yes- terday by Secretaries Moore and Ojeda. The final preparation of these articles was concluded and the revised draft was then turned over to the typewrit- CTS, while the Commissioners hastily lunched prior to the hour fixed for the joint session.
 The Spaniards arrived first at the conference chamber They were quick ly followed by the American Commis- sioners, with the exception of Judge Day and Secretary Moore, who waited for the prepared copy of the articles, and who arrived at the conference half an hour later.
 The two commissions then began the discussion of the formulated protocol agreements and the subjects for ne- gotiation, all of which were presented to the joint commission in a form ac- ceptable to the Americans.
 The joint Commissioners devoted two hours and a half--from 2 to 4:3O p. m.- to drafting the three first articles of
  the cession of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. upon which the mem bers agreed in principle.
 There were thirteen articles laid be- fore the two commissions, covering the following subjects:
 l. The relinquishment of sovereignty over and claim of title to Cuba.
 2. The cession of Porto Rico and other Spanish possessions fin the West Indies, together with Guam, in the Ladrones.
 3. The cesson of the Philippines.
 4. The terms of the evacuation of the
 5 The pledge of the United States to preserve. order in. the Philippines pending the ratification of the treaty.
 s. The release of military prisoners mu-
 '. The cession by Spain of the island of Kuhae, or Strong Island, in the Caro-
 8. The mutual relinquishment of indem- nifty claims
 lines, assuring the rights of American missionaries there.
 10. Cable landing rights at points within the Spanish sn I5urisdisction. .a,..,a,, prisoners for offenses in Cuba, and the inaugurate raj lh in the Philippines an sa Open n door" policy and to guarantee the same to Spain for at least twelve years.
 13. A revival of the treaties broken by the war.
 The first three articles were mutually agreed upon to-day, as was also the article embodying the terms of the evacuation of the Philippines, which will be practically the same as in the evacuat ation of Cuba and Porto Rico.
 The mutual release of military pris- oners was agreed upon, Spain liber- ating the rebel prisoners and the United States liberating the Manila garrison and the Spaniards held by Aguinaldo.
 The political prisoners to be released by Spain are such as are now in exile at Ceuta in Morocco or at other Span ish penal settlements.
 Daily sessions will be held here, and 1t is now believed that the work will be possibly concluded this week, al- though so early a termination is not probable.
 The foregoing list of subjects under consideration does not show the precise order in which the articles were laid before the Spanish Commissioners to- day, and in fact only eight of the thir- teen articles were discussed. Four points arose about which the Spaniards desired to consult Madrid and two upon which the Americans will consult with Washington.
 After the session and the departure of the Spanish Commissioners the Ameri- cans remained in the conference cham Der for an hour in executive session. The adjournment was taken until 8 o'clock tO-mOrrOw.