The record-union., 1898-12-11
The Paris Commissioners Complete
Their Deliberations.
Peace Treaty Formally Signed and the
Joint Sessions Closed.
The Proceedings Finally Brought
to an End at S:45 Last Evening
Two Copies Of the Treaty
Signed, Each Containing the
English and Spanish Text In
Parallel Columns.

, PARIS, Dec. 10-The treaty of peace
was signed at S:45 this evening.
The joint Peace Commission met at
$3.50 D. m. and at 5:15 a recess was
taken until p. M, awaiting the en-
crossing of the treaty. The Amer1-
cans We're the first TO arrive at the For
eign Office, the Spaniards coming half
an hour later. Senor Montero Rios,
President of the Spanish commission,
ascended the steps leaning on cane
ana bundled up in a fur coat
The Americans shook hands with the
Spaniards when the latter entered the
conference hall The faces of the rep
resentatiyes of Spain were exceedingly
solemn Apparently they regarded the
occasion as a funereal one.
Although the commissions met at
$50 o'clock, expecting to finish their
work in half an hour, the engrossing
of the treaty on parchment was found
TO be so troublesome that it delayed the
signing of the document until after 8
o'clock Clerk Martin of the American
commission worked all day, wit out
even stopping TO eat When he came
into the chamber at 7:30 with the doc
ument he found the Commissioners
waiting. The Spanish copy had arrived
half an hour earlier.
Mr.. Ferguson then proceeded to read
first the English and after that the
Spanish version of the treaty. This
finished, two copies were passed around
the table, the Commissioners signing
them in the order of their rank: Will
80 d
Wis, Senator William P. Frye, White
law Reid and Senator George Gray;
Senior Montero Rios, Senior Abarzuza,
Senor Garnica. Senor Villaurutia and
General Cerrero Y Saons, each COM
mission signing his opponents treaty.
Both We're tied with the Spanish and
American colors.
When the seals were prepared to be
affixed attendants were sent scurrying
for ribbons Of the French tri-coior, with.
which the documents We're sealed, as a
compliment to the French hosts OF the
commission.
Many officials interestedly watched
every detail of the proceedings.
The last seal being impressed, the
Commissioners rose, and without for
mality each member shook the hands
of all his antagonists, and exchanged
assurances of sincere personal esteem.
The Spaniards afterward commented
acridly upon what they termed the bad
taste of the Americans in mastering
crowd of attaches to gloat over the
consummation of their downfall and
the scramble for relics.
The signing was finished at S:45. AT
that time the door of the chamber open
ed, and Senior Villaurutia appeared and
exclaimed to group of correspond
ents who were waiting in the corridor:
"C'est fini?" The other members of
the Spanish commission followed Senior
Villaurutia and passed silently through
to their waiting carriages The Ameri-
can Commissioners strolled out, chat
ting complacently, and as they descend
ed the steps the lights in the chamber
We're darkened.
There has been great contest among
the families and friends of the Ameri-
can Commissioners for possession of
the pens with which the signatures to
the treaty were written. Some Of the
Americans were provided with hand
some pens purchased for the purpose.
The Spaniards appeared to be unaf-
fected by the souvenir craze, and con-
tented themselves with the ordinary
quill pens strewn on the table
Arthur Ferguson, the interpreter of
the American commission. requested
Senior -Montero Rios TO give him his
pen. saying:
Have you any desire to preserve the
pen with which you will sign?"
MOT in the slightest" said the Span
lard with a cOurtlv how
The treaty as signed consists of sew
enteen articles, it having been found
advisable to subdivide two or three of
the articles in the draft agreed upon
at the last meeting.
The Commissioners of the two nations
wrote their signatures on two copies of
the treaty, one copy being for the arch
ives.
The document was prepared by Sec
Tetary Moore in behalf of the United
States commission, and by Senior Vii
laruti for Spain, on account of the con-
tinued illness of Secretary Ojeda of the
Spanish commission. Each copy con-
tains the English and Spanish texts Of
the treaty in parallel columns. The
wording had been approved previously
by the commissions without a joint
meeting, so there was no controversy
on this subject
THE RESTORING OF DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS
WASHINGTON, Dec 10.-In view of
the signature Of the peace treaty, the
Government will be obliged very speed
lily to take steps looking to the restor-
ation of the diplomatic machinery nee
essary to friendly relations with Spain.
So far the President has not given
much consideration TO the selection of
a United States Minister to Madrid
The recent visit to the White House Of
Mr.. Woodford, late Minister to that
capital, has been enormously construed
to indicate determination on the part
of the President to return the Minister
to Madrid. As a matter of fact. this
is impossible, as the whole line of Dip
lomatic precedent is in the direction
of wiping out ali other issues and start
ing afresh after war with new Min
listers on both sides. The reappoint-.
ment of Mr. Woodford might mean the
return to Washington of Senior Polo Y
Bernabe, whose residence in Canada
during the war rendered him so OBJ
noxious to the American public.