Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-11-17
ARBITRATION URGED.
Spain Wants Others to Decide the
Philippines Question.
DECLARES A DEADLOCK EXISTS.

1t Is Safe to Say That Our Commits
sioners VIII Not Consent to Invoke
Exterior Aid to Construe the Terms
of Our own Protocol.
Paris, Nov 1.-THE meeting yester-
day of the Spanish American peace
commissions began at 2.15 p. M. and
ended at 8 p. m. The Spanish commits
sioners presented long document in
answer to the American argument
which was submitted last week. By
mutual consent the memorandum of
yesterday was handed to the Americans
without being read, and the meeting
adjourned to Saturday next. The
Spanish communication will be trans
lated and its contents discussed by the
United States commissioners at their
usual daily session today.
The Spaniards in the communication
reaffirmed the position which they have
assumed against the discussion here
of Spains Philippine sovereignty. They
insist that the words shall determine
the control, disposition and government
of the Philippines do not warrant any
reference to SPANS withdrawal from
the Philippines. except on her own
terms, and therefore, the Spaniards
propose arbitration on the construction
to be placed on the words "the control,
disposition and government"
In signifying their willingness to sub
nit the Philippine article of the pros
tocol to third party for construction
the Spanish commissioners urged that,
as there is obviously a difference of
opinion regarding the phrases .'the con-
troll disposition and government of the
Philippines" possibly the result of a
misunderstanding, the Spaniards should
no more be asked to surrender their
view than the Americans to surrender
theirs. The memorandum points out
that deadlock exists, which might be
broken by arbitration on the contend
ing views, to which the Spanish COM
missioners are quite ready to submit.
The latter declare that they have no
idea of suggesting arbitration as to the
main issue, which touches the national
honor of both sides, but they are will
ing to accept exterior aid to clear the
path of negotiation.
1t is safe to say that the American
commissioners will not consent to in
yoke exterior aid to construe the terms
of their own protocol.
Another part of yesterdays Span
ish memorandum fatty asserts, upon
the authority of M. Cambon's reports
of the protocol negotiations between
Washington and Madrid through him.
that President Mckinley at no time
objected to Spain's reservation of her
sovereignty in the Philippines This
allegation is directly opposed to the
American record on the same subject.
Judge Days note to M. Cambon, dated
Aug. 10, and already made public, in
formed him that SPANS note of Aug.
Z, accepting the terms of peace laid
down by the United States. was not
explicit and proposed protocol to re-
duce both parties to exactitude. The
American commissioners now hold that
the protocol itself was born of Spain S
attempt to reserve her Philippine SOW
ereignty, though the Spanish MEM
orandum of yesterday squarely chal-
lenges the contention.
The Spanish memorandum asks also
why, if the United States objected to
Spain's reservation of sovereignty, they
did not plainly say so in the protocol
and leave no room for argument. It
asks why Judge Days note of Aug. 10
did not clearly declare that the United
States would not recognize such reser-
walton and that the protocol was neces-
sary to prevent a misunderstanding OIL
that point. 1t also asks why did Judge
Days note practically ascribe the in
explicit form of SPANS acceptance of
the peace terms to Geographic errors,
while the exact terms of Spain's reser-
walton of sovereignty, as had in Wash
ington before the protocol, are now be-
ing quoted in the proceedings here.