The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-25
GUAM HAS BEEN CHOSEN
1t Will Be Part of the United
States Pacific Empire.
TRYING TO EXCITE PITY
spaniards Exerting All Their Efforts to
Secure . Division OF the Cuban
Debt-May Break on All
Negotiations.

Paris. Oct. 24.-The adjournment of
the joint peace commission was taken
until wednesday next. Guam. in the
Ladrones. has been chosen by the
Americans for the United States under
the terms of the protocol The chief
matter considered at to-day's session
was the American reply to Spain's re-
vised and renewed propositions OF the
last meetings. and the indications are
that the Cuban question will be dis
posed of this week. But no details
have been given out by either side re-
garding Spain's presentment of Friday
last, or the American reply to the same
submitted to-day.
The consideration by the commits
sioners of Porto Rico and the Ladrone
islands has now been merged with the
Cuban question and all the points TN
volved are being carried forward by
simultaneous conclusion. When this
has been arrived at the Philippine ques-
tion will be taken up. OF course there
is a possibility of a disagreement and
the Spaniards. IL the American peace
commissioners decide not to assume
any portion of the Cuban Indebtedness,
may announce themselves unwilling
to proceed any further with negotia-
tions based upon the protocol Should
the Spanish decide To do this IL will be
because they wish TO excite the pity 1f
their creditors and of other nations.
The cortes may, be then asked To in
dorse- their action. In fact, Spania ,is
may even prepare a resumption of hos
tilities to avoid acquiescence in the
American refusal to share their finan-
cial burden.
The Americans, however. have inti-
mated to the Spaniards the possibility
that Spain may. at some future period
be able to deal with an independ ent
government regarding the assumption
of the provincial and municipal per-
tions of the Cuban debt. which Is esti-
mated to have been $500 900 before
the last rebellion In Cuba broke out,
and $500, 100000 contracted since 1S95
But should independent Cuba, as she
doubtless would, refuse to assume more
than her proportion OF the debt based
on actual betterments in Cuba. and
only, even In this case. OF obligations
contracted previous to 1895. Spain
would be compelled TO appeal to her
people and confront them with practi-
cally seven-eighths of the debt con-
tracted. Spain would also be compelled
to declare her inability to meet her OBJ
legations. and this. at present, seems to
the Spaniards n more bitter alternative
than to accept the United states re-
fusal to share the Cuban debt, with all
that this means, the idea being that
the Spaniards would be able TO call the
attention Of their creditors to their un-
yielding. though fruitless efforts in their
behalf Finally, II Is said that there
are persons high in the Spanish coun-
ellis who claim to believe that Spain
would rather submit dumbly and help
lessly to decimation or ACKNOWLEDGMENT
than confront this continued financill
burden. one course would leave her
a. fes Int, a1d nd no
other is regarded as doubtful. IL not
| impossible Of solution, within the
boundaries Of national solvency.
Spain. however. will not break OF the
present negotiations before having pro-
posed that the United States share half
the insular debt. Spain's proposition
would not be accepted by the United
States either directly or in behalf cf
Cuba. The session of the commission
| ended at p. m.