The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-12-09
The PEACE negotiations.
The Conference in Paris Progress
ing Satisfac orily and a Favor
able Issue Expected.
SOME QUESTIONS YET TO Be SETTLED.
Further Concessions, However. Must BE
Optional with Spain, the Demanding
Stage Havin Been Exhausted with the
Protocol Problems Requiring Much
Time for Their Adjustment.

Washington, Dec. 3.-It can be
stated positively that 10 hitch has oc-
CURED in he proceedings of the peace
| commission at Paris, and an impress
sion to the contrary in certain quarters
| probably arose through a misunder-
standing of the phase those proceed
| ing have reached. With the ac-
| quiescence by the Spanish commits
| sioHers in the demands set out in the
| original protocol all danger of failure
| to reach the point of signature of a
| peace treaty disappeared. and that
| such treaty will be forthcoming,
covering at least all of the protocol
| points, is considered as sure. What is
now going On in Paris is negotiation
respecting certain objects which the
United States government seeks TO ac-
cOmplish in that manner instead of re-
sorting to the more usual but more
tedious method of correspondence be-
tween the two governments. These
objects have been clearly stated in
general terms in the press cable dis
patches from Paris. namely. the ac-
QUESTION Of one of the Caroline ISL
| ands as a cable station and coaIing
station; of certain rights to land ca
bles on Spanish possessions at other
points; the procurement of freedom
of religious worship in the Carolines,
and the revival of certain treaties of
trade and commerce, etc.
Purely Diplomatic Negotiations which
DO Not Affect the Peace Treaty.
But as stated these matters are
purely the subjects of diplomatic ne
gOtiations and do not in any way af-
feet the conclusion of the peace treaty.
They might all fail to be realized and
still the treaty would not be affected.
Moreover, while Spain was the sub
ject of peremptOry demands in the
case of the protocol points. She is free
of cOmpulsion now while these diplo-
matte exchanges are in progress. She
may sell 20 the United States one of
the Caroline islands or may refuse to
do so. and, moreover, if we buy the
island it must be at a price satisfac-
tory to Spain. She may even sell the
Caroline group to Germany instead of
to the United States. if she can OBJ
tain better price for the former.
There is good reason to assume the
correctness of the report that Ger
many *, even now, bargaining FOR
these islands
MI other points covered by these
negotiations are a matter for mutual
arrangement and not of demanding.
Not laundering After the Island OF Ccuta.
The statement that Spain refused to
sell us Ceuta, opposite Gibraltar, for a
coaling and cable station, IS mac
Curate; the United States government
has not made any such proposition
for the acquisition OF that island and
would hesitate very long before en-
teTing upon the tGrbulent field of ac-
tivities involved in the assumption of
territory IN the neighborhood of the
Mediterranean.
DCsIrlb'cnrss OF Securing the CarOIInes.
The case is different, respecting the
CarOlines. The American naval ex-
ports have urged very strongly that
this group, as Il whole be retained, if
possible, and in addition that of the
Pelew group, lying to the westward,
be purchased. They have pointed out
that the sOuthernmost island of the
LadrOne group. Waloa, lies only 300
miles north of Ponape, in the Caro-
lines, and the Pelew islands are only
about 600 miles distant from the Phil
iPpiEes.