The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-25
Spaniards Would Rather Lose All the
Archipelago than Promise Not to
Cede to the Powers.
ALLEGED SECRET AGREEMENT
FOR JOINT ANGLO-AMERICAN ACTION
IN THE FAR EAST.
Carlist Disturbances in the Peninsula
First of Gen. ToraTs Troops
Welcomed Home.

| LONDON, Aug. PA dispatch to the
Standard from Madrid. by way of France,
| says: "A very unfavorable impression has
! been caused in Madrid by kilograms at
| tributing to President Mckinley the inten-
ton of instructing the peace commissioners
| to insist on the cession of Luzon, that
! American commerce should have the same
footing as Spanish in the Philippines, and
| that Spain should pledge herself that none
of the Spanish colonies should be ceded to
| European powers If such are the intentions
Of the United States government the nego-
/ tiations sure to be lahorious, even if
| an understanding is ever arrived at. The
| Spaniards consider the cession of Luzon,
| their best and most important island to be
a death blow to their prestige and sover-
| eighty in these regions, and that this would
be irretrievably weakened and crippled by
the presence of Americans in the heart of
| their colonies.
Commercial equality with the United
States in the archipelago would annul
| the only advantage and compensation
which they might have expected to have
| derived from the cost and sacrifices which
| have been necessary to maintain their rule
| In the archipelago The separation of
church and state would be most unpalat-
| able to most Spaniards and would create
grave difficulties in their relations with the
Vatican and the church, let alone the pow
| erful religious orders in Spain. which are
| always disposed to side with Don Carlos
against the present dynasty.
| Last but not least, any pledge to refrain
| from ceding any part to the powers would
| displease many statesmen and people of all
| classes who are daily more and more in
| clined to advocate the sale of the Spanish
| archipelago to the highest bidder. and es
| pecally to continental powers most likely
to be in position to arrest the growth of
| American political and commercial influ-
| ences in the far East
| Nothing could be better calculated than
| the pretensons attributed to America to
develop in Spain the visibly growing desire
| to cease all connection with the Philippines
| and thus oblige the United States govern
| ment to assume the burden of the respon-
| sibilities of their government, which would
| likely create conflicts with European pow
| ers, and tending, in any case, to entail for
| the United States more trouble and sacri-
| fees in men and money, even, than the oc-
cupation and pacification of Cuba. Even
| the lower and middle classes seem to think
this, and thus in both directions Spain
would simply make America pay for the
wrongs inflicted
/
| The Times Madrid correspondent says:
| The recent articles in the Times recon-
mending the annexation of the Philippines
! by America are attracting much attention
| here. They are regarded confirming cur
! rent rumors about a secret agreement be-
! tween the cabinets at London and Wash
| ington for joint action in the far East In
any case, 1t is feared that the rapproche-
ment which unquestionably exists contains
the germs OF great international complica-
tons. Three months ago, when Spain sud
| denly found herself alone face to face with
| powerful antagonist, such a prospect
would have been hailed with delight be-
| cause it was believed that in a general
| imbrogiio she would be sure to find allies
! Now the political situation is bette. under
stood, and fears are expressed that in a
| general conflict of the great powers what
ever the result. Spain would have to nav
| les pots casses.
"El liberal publishes a. significant arti-
Gle in this sense. Trying to forecast the inn
mediate future it says: Two contingencies
are possible-either the great powers will
come to an agreement about their respec-
! tive spheres of influence or there will be a
| great war in which England will play a
leading part against Russia and France In
the former case Spain would lose the
Philippines because they would be included
In the partition. In the latter case England
would begin by an attempt to get possession
of the keys to the Mediterranean, including
/ Ceuta and the Balearic islands, which NAV
| be regarded as the keyhole. This possibility
of a struggle for naval supremacy in the
| Mediterranean at some time in the near
| future gives certain Importance to reports
| Of new forts in the vicinity of Gibraltar and
| diplomatic correspondence there anent
| Neither Spain nor England however. can
| be supposed to have any aggressive designs
| and If we read between the lines of certain
very guarded semi-official statements we
must conclude that the Spanish government
has recently received from London some
positive assurances on this point Spain
must. it is said, maintain her elementary
| rights to national self-defense, but she has
| at present sufficient diplomatic difficulties
| on hand to prevent her creating additional
| complications
| The Madrid correspondent of the Daily
Mail says: 1T is significant that the princi-
| pal Carlists here are registering their prop
erty in the names of other persons to pre-
vent its conhscation in the event of trouble.
The military judge at Barcelona has or
| dered a court-martial on a sergeant two
| corporals and several soldiers. who were
trying TO recruit among the garrison for the
Carlists. Carlist disturbances are reported
in several small towns in Aragon, caused by
the closing of the Carlist clubs
Welcomed Home from Cuba.
| CORUNNA, Spain. Aug. 24.-The Spanish
F! steamer Alicante with the first of Spain's
repatriated soldiers from Santiago de Cuha