Evening star., 1898-08-17
TOPICS TO CONSIDER
Wide Range of Questions for the Paris
Convention.
FOR PEACE COMMISSIONERS
The Philippines, of Course, VIII
Be the Leading One.
IN REG ARD TO CUBA

Wider range of subjects will be before the
peace commission when it meets in Paris
than has been commonly supposed. Public
men who have recently talked with the
President and with members of the admin
istration have had this impressed upon
them. The leading question will be the fu-
ture disposition and control of the Philip
pines, but 1t will not be, as has been gen.
orally assumed, the only one. The purpose
of the administration is to insure lasting
peace between the United States and SPAIN
To do this it will be necessary to leave no
question open to misunderstanding or irri-
tation. The signing of the protocol settled
one cardinal point, which was the imme-
diate evacuation of Porto Rico and Cuba
by the Spanish forces. Spain was not per-
mitted to lay down any conditions about
getting out
Many Questions.
However, when the peace commission
meets, 1t will have to pass on number of
important subjects. Some of these will be
raised by the Spanish commissioners. 9th
will be brought up by the American
commissioners in order to have them set
tied. The military commission will not
have power to determine these matters 1t
will supervise the evacuation of the island
by the Spanish troops and will provide for
the occupancy of the American troops.
Its labors will be well under way by the
time the Paris commission meets and will
be ended when the treaty of peace is rati-
fed 1t is the belief now that the treaty
may not be ready for the Senate till after
the holiday recess This belief is based
partly on the knowledge that international
commissions organize with deliberation and
partly on the certainty that time will be
needed to determine all the questions at
issue. Senator Allison declined place on
the commission because his work as chair
man of the appropriations committee would
not permit his absence during part of the
short session of Congress. Senator Davis
will probably accept, because his duties as
chairman of the foreign relations commit
tee may be facilitated by his having served
as one of the commissioners.
Regarding the Philippines.
Regarding the Philippines there is no
disposition to select members of the Ameri-
can commission who would be in favor of
putting them back in their entirety under
the sovereignty of Spain. While public opin-
ion may be divided other points it is
recognized that there is practical unanim-
ity on this matter.
Beyond this no definite conclusion Las
been reached By the time the commits
sion meets the prospects are that the Phil
ippines will be even a greater problem than
they are today, because their future may
have some bearing on the impending dis
pUte between Great Britain and Russia
over the partition of China. However, the
questions r5lative to the future of Cuba
may become almost as important to the
Spanish commissioners as the Philippines.
1t is the impression in diplomatic circles
that they will bring up the Cuban debt and
seek some basis of compromise. OF course
such I, proposition will not be entertained
by the American commissioners Spain will
have the ultimation that the United States
accepts responsibility and becomes no
party to joint arrangement for settling
the debt, Just as the ultimation was given
in the signing of the protocol. She must
settle with her own creditors on whatever
basis she can
Private American Claims.
The claims of American citizens growing
out of the revolution ara a different matter
and are pretty sure to cause irritation. With
the United States exercising merely pro-
tectorate pending the establishment of a
stable government the assumption of those
claims will not be easily arranged. In any
circumstances 1T would be difficult to de-
termne whether the damage was caused
by the insurgents or the Spanish troops.
So long Spain claimed sovereignty for
The island she was responsible. Ii the
Cubans had been able to establish gov
held fer at least a portion of the claims.
With the future government hanging in
Indair the perplexities are manifest.
SpaiH's Private Property.
Differences may also arise over the prop
erty claimed by Spain She is not ceding
Cuba as she does Porto Rico, and may ex-
pect to remove or to receive compensation
for what she calls her own property. This
includes the guns Used in the defense of
Havana. There is costly floating dock in
the harbor, which was brought there from
the English shipping yards a short time
before the destruction of the Maine. Other
government property is also valuable.
MEMBERS OF THE FIFTH CORPS.