Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-11-21

QUE6TIoN-TEiE ERIC ANS
WILL PROPOSE TO PAY A LUMP
SUN FOR THE PHILIPPINES. AND
II THAT is NOT ACCEPTED THE
THREAT OF CONQUEST WILL BE
MADE-NoT AN uLTiMATuA. BuI
WILL MEAN THE SANE
Paris, November 20.-The Spanish
peace commissioners have been noti-
ned that the United States commiss-
toner's will be ready TO treat with them
in joint session tomorrow afternoon.
Unless-the Spaniards have an adequate
reason for further delay, the two COM
missions will join in the most import.
ant meeting thus far held.
The American commissioners in a
written communication will declare
that the third article OF the protocol
regarding the Philippines is capable of
only one fair construction. that no ar =
bitration is needed to elucidate its
terms and that the United States can
not admit any other power to figure
here purely as a PSYCHOLOGIST They
will maintain that the two commits
sions are charged to determine whether
Spain or the United States shall in flu
ture own the Philippines.
This will he accompanied by the
clear declaration that the United States
will possess the Philippines.
Following this declaration the Amer
lean commissioners will lay before the
Spaniards two alternatives.
First, to accept sum of money from
the United States and TO cede and evac-
uate the Philippines.
Second, to lose the Philippines TO
the United States by conquest with the
possibility of other territorial losses to
indemnify the United States for the
added expense OF conquest
This communication may not be for
mally designated as an ultimatum but
it will lack naught of the conclusive
ness indicated by that word. This will
be so plain that the Spanish commits
sioners will scarcely haggle for money
doubt of American action under the
second, should the first be declined.
No one here except the American
commissioners knows how much will
be rendered Spain as the cheapest and
most humane wav Of settling the din
Guilty. She is exceedingly anxious to
escape the Philippine debt, and pos
sibly the sum to be offered may be de-
termined by an analysis Of that debt,
which consists of 100000 900 in bonds,
on which she realized S36 600, 600. OF
the latter amount she is believed to
have spent some 10000 600 or $f1, 000,-
600 in fighting the United States and
a part in attempting to quell the Phil
ippine insurrection. reasonable
guess at the sum for tender would be
S20,000,OOO, though it may fall below
that
The Cuban question may come up
again tomorrow. The American com
missioners had thought the discussion
on that point finished, but the Span
ish commissioners are reported to have
declared last week that the mortgages
imposed by Spain on Cuba, as well az
on the Philippine revenues, must not
be impaired or questioned. This
would compel the American commits
sioners soon-and probably tomorrow
to demand whether Spain means to
repudiatee the plain compact of the
protocol to relinquish sovereignty over
and title to Cuba.
Three weeks ago the Spanish COM
missioners accepted the Cuban article
in the protocol without conditions,
save that its embodiment in the treaty
should depend only on an agreement
here on all the articles In the protocol.
Recently. however. SPANS representa-
tives have said that the Cuban matter
had been only temporarily passed and
was still in allegiance.
LONDON. November 2o-The Madrid
correspondent Of the Daily Mail SAYS:
at Is asserted that. the government
would reject an offer Of 80. go 600 for the
Philippines as ridiculous"
The Madrid correspondent Of the atand-
ard says:
Spain viii decline indemnity for ths
Philippines If the sum offered appears In
adequate in the eyes 81 the nation"
The Vienna correspondent Of the Dary
Telegraph says:
Following the advice of Austria ana
Germany. Spain will accept Americas Of
FER of compensation for the Philippine
The Daily Chronicle in an editorial On
the FIispano-American situation. this
rnoriug. after expressing "sorne aaprehen-
sion that we nay have been mistakes
with regard TO the Angio-Arnerican en-.
tente" points 20 the establishment % 9
nnediaeval navigation law in Porto Rico"
and adds
"Is sim graver disappointment com.
Ing III the closing Of the doors TO our
commerce in the Phnippines?"
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