Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-02
SPAIN PAYS THE COST.
Uncle Sans Bookkeeping on the
49, War to Give the cubans -
A- Freedom. IN
WILL MAKE OUT Els SMALL BILL,

Giving the Dons Credit for Their Rea
Estate and Charging Them with All tn,
Expenses of the War, Including Pen
sions for Our Soldiers, and Pay Them
the Balance, if There Is Anymore Wa
Conduct Testimony.
Washington, Nov. .2-While the cabi-
net gave little attention yesterday tc
the peace negotiations at Paris there is
no longer any doubt as to the general
purposes of this government to retain
the entire Philippine archipelago. II
after final balancing of the account
viz: the cost of war to the United
States on one side, and our acquisitions
on the other-it is found that any COM
pensation is due the Spaniards it will
be made in a lump sum. 1t is pointed
out that the United States has never
entertaincS a purpose to acquire any
territory by the power of conquest.
What the United States Will insist upon
is that she must be fully reimbursed
for every dollar expended by her on ac-
count of the war. and in the statement
will be included an amount sufficient to
cover all payments, present and pros
pective. on account of pensions inciden-
tai to the war.
Debts That Uncle Sam VIII Assume.
No Spanish bonds of any character or
amount other than local or municipal
bonds will be paid or assumed by this
government. The question of the status
OF municipal obligations under circum-
stances like the present is fully settled
by international law. They must be
recognized as valid and binding by the
conquering power. and hence il is as
sumed that the United States will not
raise any question on this point, but
promptly consent to guarantee their
final payment. What sum this govern
ment would consent to pay to Spain
cannot even be estimated, but when
the final account is rendered it is be-
lieved that the balance due Spain will
Me small, probably not exceeding $685.
0e0.Go0 or S30,0O0,CO0.
Dons Are Not Likely to Bolt.
The belief still prevails among the
majority of the cabinet that the Span
iards viii accept the terms laid down
by the United States, and that whatever
delay occurs before that result is
reached will be chargeable only to the
purpose of the Spaniards to secure the
best possible terms, to exort the last
possible million dollars, before acceding
to our demands. The possibility of dis
agreement OF the commissioners ana
the failure of the conference. however
is now contemplated with greater
than at an earlier stage of
the negotiations. The administration
has satisfied itself that Spain is neither
able nor willing to resume hostilities on
any scale that would make her a dam
gerous opponent to the United States.
What Bolt Would Necessitate.
Therefore, supposing the Paris con-
ference to fail. all that would be i'm
posed upon our government as an i'm
mediate duty would be to take complete
possession of the Philippines.
This is believed could be accomplished
by US without loss of time or life. So
far as Cuba is concerned the difficulty
might be more serious. but even in Cuba
the Spanish military froces are not in
condition to offer a prolonged resistance
to the American conquest of the island, |
and with the Spanish navy at the bot
tom of the sea they could not be rein |
forced by troops from Spain.