The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-11-30

| (Which she has heretofore lnvarlaoiy
formulated
| However, the note adds, in her
desire for peace she has gone as far
as to propose certain compromises,
which the Americans have s!ways
rejected. She has also attempted, it
lis further asserted, to have,submitted
to arbitration some of the material
particulars upon which the two gov
ernmeDts differed. These proposals
for arbitration, it is added, the Amer
leans had equally rejected.
These allegations, in Spain's reply.
as to attempted arbitration, refer to
her proposal to arbitrate the con
struction of the third article of the
protocol and also TO submit the Span
ish colonial debt of Cuba and the
Philippines to arbitration. The last
proposition has been made in a
written communication. Since Its
presentation, and in return for such
arbitration. Spain offered to cede the
territory in dispute The Americans
refused both propositions for arbitra.
sion
spain's reply to day in substance
continued by declaring that the
United States had offered, as kind
of compensation to Spain, something
very inadequate to the sacrifices the
latter country makes at this moment,
and she feels, therefore, that the
United States proposals cannot be
considered just and equitable.
Spain has. however, exhausted all
the resources of diplomacy in an
attempt to Justify her attitude.
Seeing that an acceptance of the
proposals made to Spain is a neces
sary condition to continuance Of
negotiations and seeing that the
resources of Spain are not such as to
enable her to re enter upon war, she
is prepared, ip her desire to avoid
bloodshe1 and from considerations of
humanity and patriotism, to submit
to che conditions of the conqering
nation, however harsh they may be-.
She is. therefore, ready to accept the
proposals of the American commits
sion as presented at the last sitting
The reading and translation of the
document occupied less than five
minutes At the conclusion of The
translation the commissioners en-
powered Ojeda, secretary of the
Spanish commission, and Secretary
Moore Of the American commission
to draw up articles which are to
embody the relinqoishmens of Cuba
by Spain and the cession of Puerto
Rico and the Philippines. These
articles. which may be considered az
constituting .he conditions of peace.
will be ready for submission on
Wednesday.
A great deal of interest was taken
iu to-day'e meeting The two COM
missions arrived at che foreign Office
in carriages iu the raia almost
simultaneously, and repairing to the
conference room, Immediately opened
the only business before them.
Senor Montero Rios, the president
of the Spanish commission, has
usually preceded the presentation of
Spanish communication in writing
by verbally summarizing it, but
to day Senor Rios was silent and
unusually grave His face was
deeper lined, and he clearly showed
the mental strain under which be was
laboring as he approached the final
REIMBURSEMENT of spaiu's colonial
possessions.
Without word, Senor Montero
Rios produced two typewriter
sheets and passed them to the inter-
prefer of the United States commits
sion, Mr. Ferguson, who read them
substantially as cabled. the outline Of
the Spanish document being furnish.
led later to correspondent of the
Associated Press by Senior Ojeda.
The commissioners left the foreign
Office Immediately after the secreta
ries had been directed to prepare the
articles of the peace treaty.
There was scarcely any converse
tom between tue American and
Spanish commissioners after the
adjournment.
Among the Americans only the
most grave consideration for their
Spanish colleagues was apparent.
The Spaniards seemed to be relieved
at having arrived at the conclusion of
a long controversy
After the session the Spanisrds
repaired to their quarters and had an
animated and lengthy session
SPANS FRIEND.
The leading articles ip The Temps
to-day, a column long, is devoted to