The Portland daily press., 1898-11-15
NO SESSION OF PEACE COMMISSION
spaniards Said To Ee Preparing For Final
stand,

Paris. November l4-There was no joint
ssssSon of the peace commissions today.
Secretary Moore, of the United States
commission, received from Secretary
(liada of the Spanish commission, this
morning a note saying that the Spanish
nnissioners had found. it impossible to
nreoare their memorandum for present
action today and asking if the United
States commissioners would be incon-
yenienoed If, owing to the late arrival
from Madrid of expected data, the Span
iards should request that the next meet
ing should be deferred until Wednesday.
Secretary Moors replied that the Ameri-
can commissioners were quite ready to
oInmodate the Spanish commissioners
in this matter, and the joint session was
practically deferred until Wednesday next.
Importance Is attached to this delay, 1t
being regarded as indicating that the
Spanish commissioners are preparing for
q final stand in these negotiations, and 1t
may now be definitely stated that the
Spaniards here will not sign treaty OF
peace which yields to Spain no more from
the Philippine islands than has thus far
been offered or indicated by the Ameri-
cans.
should the latter announce that the
United States are willing only to reim-
burse Spain for her pacific expenditures
in the Philippine islands, the Spanish
commissioners would reply that their
mission was finished.
Should this occur it is possible the
Spaniards would also suggest suspen-
sion of the negotiations through the COM
missions and tie resumption OF negotia-
lions between Madrid and Washington.
AA% %.,In rF NtA Gv,arn
planned by the fact that the members OF
the Spanish commission have political
alliances sandk sspeIsoual responsibilit es to
constituencies and the national creditors
of Spain which restrict to certain lines,
which are as far as the ministry at
Madrid cares to go.
It is pointed out that II the i've Spanish
commissioners here should sign treaty
yielding the Philippine ISLANDS to tbs
United States without lessening Spain 8
debt in any appreeiable degrees they could
not return home with the prospect OF any
political future and possibly would be IN
danger OF violence at the hands of unobs.
AT the next meeting of the commits.
siops the Americans will learn the defi'
mite attitude of the Spanish on any
doctrine thus far made,
The Spaniards. however, in this presen.
tation will not declare all negotiations
closed. They will Insist that the
sovereignty of Spain over the Philippine
islands is beyond question, but will an.
nounce Spain's readiness to yield that
sovereignty, for an adequate equivalent
and will then invite negotiations under
the Spanish constructions of the protocol.
The American oommiss toner's may then
communicate their final attitude to the
Spaniards. but the Americans are ex-
pected at future meeting to present y
carefully prepared conclusion OF theii
contention and conditions.
Should they be not different from those
already presented the time will have then
arrived when Spain will declare itself
helpless though steadfast and will await
the next step of the United States, what
ever it may be.
Thus Spain will be able to say to hel
creditors that she has done her utmost
and that the issue must rest between
them and the United States.
A despatch to the Temps from Madrid,
says the officials there do not believe thu
peace negotiations will be broken of. 1t
adds: ssIf the United States persist In
their present claims, Spain will accept
the conditions after formally announcing
at session of the commission and In a
circularsto the Powers that she yields to
force and owing to the impossible lily Of
renewing the war without understandable
assjsta nee in defence of her riQhtS, ~