The record-union., 1898-11-05
That the United States Take the Whole Of
the Philippine Group.
Further Hold That the Capitu1a-
ton of Manila, Having Occurred
After the Signing Of the Pro-
tocol, Was Invalid, and Make
to Spain Of Moneys Collected
From Tariff Duties at That
Port.


PARIS, Nov. 4.-The Spanish Com
missioners, in the course Of two
hours session of the peace conference
to-day, fiatly refused to accept Mon
days proposition by the Americans TO
take the entire Philippine group and to
reimburse Spain for her pacific" ex-
penditures there. This negative action
was expected.
The Spanish Commissioners had also
a number Of positive declarations which
filled some thirty-seven sheets of a
typewriter presentment. In this state
ment the Spaniards held that the Uni
ted States had no ultimate rights in
the Philippine Islands, and could have
none save by the consent of Spain in
these negotiations and upon terms sat-
isfactory to her.
According to the Spanish contention in
the formal statement, the United States
entertained no thought of annexing the
Philippines when the protocol was
signed, or it would have been e.l-
pressed I'M the protocol as clearly as the
conditions regarding the cession of ter
ritory in the Antilles and the Orient.
M. Cambon, before the signature of
the protocol, received from Madrid, the
presentment alleged, a cable message
clearly setting forth that the mainte-
nance of Spains authority over the
Philippines should not be affected by
the protocol, to which reservation the
United States made at that time no
protest or objection.
This dispatch to M. Cambon. as the
Spaniards claimed to-day, embodied
also the view that the United States
had no valid basis for claims in the
archipelago
Rios and his colleagues that the ca
pitulation of Manila, having occurred
after the signing of the protocol, and
thus after the suspension of hostilities,
was invalid.
With all this for groundwork, the
Spaniards made their first positive
move against the Americans, and it
constituted their counter-proposition
They charged upon the United States
a wrongful appropriation of public
moneys belonging to Spain by seizins
the tariff duties at Manila, and they
formally demanded the return of these
moneys, in the sum of nearly a million
dollars.
Of the same premises the United
States was to-day declared to have
made and held as prisoners the Span
ish troops at Manila in violation of in
ternational law, because done after the
suspension of hostilities under the pro-
tocol A further charge was that bv
the Imprisonment of the Spanish troops
at Manila the United States had pre-
vented Spain from quelling the insur-
rection, and had thus contributed to
the violence against Spain after the
cessation of hostilities.
To-day's Spanish presentment also
cited the refusal of the Americans to
consider the Cuban debt, on the ground
that it was not sanctioned in the pro-
tocol, and demanded an adherence tc
this as precedence to the discussion
of the Philippines, regarding a cession
of which the Spanish Commissioners
held the protocol to make no mention
In support of these insertions and ar
guments, the Spanish presentment in
vokes Spain's record in the correspond
dence by mail and telegraph, though il
is not known unofficially whether the
Spaniards produced the message said
to have been sent from Madrid to NJ
Cambon at the time the protocol was
signed, in which, it was affirmed to-
day, Spain reserved her Philippine SOW
ereignty.
The presentment was read by Inter
prefer Ferguson, being rendered from
the Spanish, in which it was written
into English. At the close of the read
ing the Americans said they wished q
have the Spanish statement rendered
into written English for more careful
consideration, and an adjournment was
taken to Tuesday.
NO ULTIMATUM CONTEMPLATED
PARIS, Nov A statement is print
ed here to-day with much prominence
that at to-day's joint session of the
Peace Commissions the Americans We're
to insist upon a complete surrender OF
Spains sovereignty over the Philippine
Islands. and that in the event of the
Spanish Commissioners refusing tC
agree to this, Judge Day, President OF
the American commission, acting un-
der instructions from Washington. will
present an uitimatum to the Spaniards
1t is further alleged that this seem
ing haste is due to desire to settle the
negotiations before the elections in the
United States take place.
Reference is made to these allegations
in view of the fact that they may have
also been circulated in the United
States. But there is no truth in the
statements made. No ultimatum is
contemplated, and there is no propa oil.
ity of drastic measures being taken by
the Americans.
The two commissions are now consid-
ering an open question, and the Amer
leans expect TO carefully weigh the
points involved and to carefully con
slider the arguments of the Spaniards
The two commissions met Mt o'clocl
this afternoon The Americans were
aware before the session opened thai
the Spaniards would decline their pro.
posal made on Monday last.
The 'Gaulofs" to-day saws it has
been informed on absolutely reliable
authority that Spain will refuse to dis.
cuss the unconditional surrender of the
Philippine Islands. Spain, it is furthel
asserted. has made particular reserya.