Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-10-27
PEACE CONFERENCE.
The Reports in Paris Newspapers
About ITS DOings Not Reliable.
PRESIDENT M'EINLEY KEPT POSTED.
The Cuban Debt win Not he snddled OF
This Country Nor on Cuba-spAin
Clinging to FOriOrn
Hone.

Washington, Oct "a, President Nc
Kinley is somewhat surprised and per-
haps amused by the Partisan reports
OF the peace conference. He knows
what Is going on between the Ameri-
can and Spanish commissioners and he
reads the extracts from the papers of
Paris with equanimity. The president
receives from ex-Secretary Day every
day an official report by cable. He
knows at least once every "a hours the
exact status of the negotiations The
reports in the foreign papers are cal
culated to give the impression that the
American commissioners have engaged
in protracted controversy with the
representatives Of Spain over the Span
ish proposition that Che so-called Gu
ban debt should be assumed by the
United States or by Cuba.
MIR. Day and his colleagues went to
Paris with instructions not to discuss
that debt, because the president would
not permit any of it to be saddled on
this country or on Cuba. Even If the
president we're inclined TO assume
some of the debt, he knows that the
senate would not ratify such treaty.
The American commissioners, three of
whom are senators themselves, thor
.oughly understand the temper of the
senate, and it has not been necessary
to urge the commission to stand by its
instructions. The presidents advices
do not lead the administration to have
any apprehension of serious trouble at
Paris over Cuban affairs.
The reports of the Partisan papers
are u surprise, not because of any fear
of trouble, but because of their lack
of foundation. Administration officials
are surprised because they are at a
loss for a reason for the persistent re-
ports that the Cuban debt is under dis
-cussion between the opposing commits
sions These reports on their faces
appear to come from Spanish sources.
1t is notorious that the news
papers of Paris are purchasable.
One theory in Washington official
circles is that these stories are
being published for effect in Spain, to
prepare the Spanish people to accept
disagreeable dose of medicine. An
other theory is that they are given
out at the instigation of capitalists or
stock jobbers who seek to hold up the
price of Spanish securities while they
unload their holdings. At any rate,
the American commissioners have re-
fused point blank to discuss the So
called Gu ban debt and the administers
ton is not concerned over that detail.
1t was settled when the protocol was
signed.
SPAIN CLINGING TO A FoRLoRN HOPE.
Paris, Oct 24-Spain is still cling
ing to the hope that the moral support
of certain European governments will
come to her in her efforts to force tho
United States to assume the Cuban
debt. The outlook is that the Span
iards will hang to the hope of the out
side pressure as long as possible, ulti-
mately accepting the American de-
mands. The publication of a report
concerning the commission which APP
peared Saturday leads to the belief
that ''leak" has really occurred.
There is no doubt that the Spaniards
have been making desperate effort to
convince the Americans that the Gu
ban debt should be treated like local
one. The American answer, which
will be made to-day, may refer to au-
tonomy treaty debts distinctly.