The San Francisco call., 1898-11-01
HISTORY MAKING MESSAGE
COMMUNICATED TO THE DoNS
 AT THE PARIS CONFERENCE.
America Will Only Assume Such Por- ton of the Debt as Has Been Spent for the Benefit of
 the Islands.
Special Dispatch to Tn. Call.


 folio containing records and personal memoranda, left their headquarters in the Continental Hotel for the meeting with the Spanish Commissioners at the Foreign Office shortly before o'clock this afternoon. The president of the Spanish Commission, Senor Montero Rios, whose health at one time was so precarious as to threaten an indef1- nite adjournment of the sessions of the commissions, had improved to the eX- tent of enabling him to attend to-day s meeting. He arrived at the Foreign Office in a closed carriage with his col leagues shortly after the Americans reached the meeting place. Soon after 2 o'clock the commissioners confronted each other across the table on which, in ITS, Benjamin Franklin and his col leagues signed the treaty of independ- ence of the United States
 The Americans were removing their wraps when the Spaniards entered the anteroom, and polite and cordial greet ings were exchanged as the two groups commingling, passed through the grand salon, where a buffet was spread, and entered the conference chamber, In which, before leaving, the Spaniards would learn the attitude of the United States toward the Philippines.
 The Spanish Commissioners took tnelr accustomed places at the historic table, the afternoon light full in their faces, while the Americans ranged themselves opposite with their backs to the light, and with the interpreter standing at the end of the table, on the right of Judge Day and the left of Senor Montero Rios and between the two secretaries, MT. Moore and Senor Ojeda.
 Secretary Moore, upon the request of Judge Day, passed to MT. Ferguson, the interpreter, the formulated demands or the United States regarding the Philip pines, which were read to the Spaniards In their own tongue by a rapid render ing from the English, in which they were written. Although the Spanish Commissioners did not betray anxiety their attention to the reading was keen. They had anticipated that the United States would take over the islands, but the terms and details of the transfer had all along been subject of specula- tion.
 The reading disclosed the fact that the United States Government had de- termined to possess for itself certain territory and parts of land bounded by and lying within such parallels of lat itude and longitude as mark the limits Of the Philippine archipelago. The UY4 ted States do not propose assuming the Philippine debt of S40,000,000 but they are willing to be responsible to
 
 actual expenditures by Spain in the Philippines for the advantage of the islands and for the good of their peo- pie, for permanent betterments and for improvements, both physical and men tai
 The reading of the presentment spe- cifies that the United States will reim- purse Spain to the extent of her pa cific expenditures" made in the archi- pelago. This phrase pacific expedi-
 1I EgoN r expenditures by Spain in combating insurrections in the Philippines.
 The one is felt by the Commissioners to be a fair burden on the acquiring power while the other and latter class or expenditures is held to have been log ically assumed by Spain in the inevit- able hazard to a nation resortiGg to arms to enforce order in it's own terri tory.
 Such Is the vital portion of the pre- sentiment made by the American Com missionerS to-day, and 1t is to be ob- served that while the main proposition as to possession and financial responsi- bility is clear and definite, many details have been left to the developments of the discussions between the two com missions. Thus, while the Spaniards are tonight quite certain that the United States intends to reimburse them for pacific expenditures" they remark that they are not enlightened as to whether the Americans expect to indorse the Spanish obligations to the extent of pacific expenditures" in the archipelago or whether they will hand Spain a lump sum of gold large enough to cover Spanish outlay so designated. Possibly the American Commissioners themselves are not at this moment fully determined on this point. It is unlikely however, that the Americans will care to become identified in the slightest degree with Spain in her re- sponsibility to her creditors The clearer method seems to be to hand 10 Spain spot cash. or something as good, and to bid her apply it on her debts by whatever name known, or to put it in her wallet for whatever use she may elect.
 While the United States have desig- mated pacific expenditures as those they will reimburse to Spain, the pre- sentiment of the American Commis- sioners today did not demand either a schedule or an inventory of the same from the Spaniards. But the sugges- ton naturally raises an inquiry as to the kind and quantity of Spain's pa ciflc expenditures" in the Philippines, and some light may be given on that matter now.
 There IS considerable traffic between the islands and some time ago a SyS- tenn of lighthouses became necessary. Spain set out to supply this and pro- 1ected forty-eight light stations. Of these she has already constructed sev- enteen of the first class and sixteen of the second class. What they cost Is not yet known here, but in American wa ters those of the first class cost from $25,O00 to s250 900 each, so that, on an average basis of the minimum cost in the United States, Spain's thirty-three lighthouses may represent an outlay of $S25. 900.
 Spain has constructed breakwaters at Manila at an expense not yet known here, and wharves of small value along the Pasfg River. She has recently built barracks for 240OO men now occu- pied by American troops, the cost of which is not yet ascertained.
 At Cavite Spain had built naval the natives. was said to be eo1,a1 to 4be Mare Island station and may be worth s2 800 900. Whether or not the last two items can be strictly designated "pa- in conference, but the lighthouse. water Improvements, barracks and naval sta