Evening star., 1898-11-21
Snninr New Move.

The situation at Paris with reference to
the Spanish-American relations has today
assumed a suddenly grave aspect. The
American commissioners according TO pro-
gram. have presented their firaI PROPOSE
tiOn. demand for the entire Philippine
archipelago in return for payment of S2n,-
OO.OG1, coupled with notification that an
answer must ne returned within one week
The president of the Spanish commission,
in reply. has refused to continue the neso-
tiatiOns. thus wfthdra wing from the confer
ence. This action has been forcasttd with
varying degrees of positiveness for some
weeks. but the general belief in this coun-
try has undoubtedly been that Spain would
not commit so grave a blunder as to pre-
cipitate the necessity for further American
IT llitary demonstrations. with the likelihood
that the American demands on the second
conference would be more severe than they
are at present
But if the conference is now to he ended
through the refusal of Spain TO continue
negotiations there is, Of course. but one in
depreciation to be placed upon her action.
She prefers more war to yielding to the
present demands of the United States. The
question now of most serious interest is
whether she expects TO stand alone in con-
fronting this country a second time.
Unless Spain has formed an alliance with
some Other country during the interval of
peace. which was begun by the signing of
the protocol, she can, of course. expect no
portion of victory from the measures
which are so pointedly suggested by her
withdrawal Two of her fleets have been
destroyed. most of her colonial ports are
in the possession of the Americans and
practically every strategic position has
been taken by her cOnquerer.
But is possible that she has found an ally.
Germany Immediately occurs to the imagi-
nation as such a factor in the new situation.
1t is difficult TO believe that Germany, how
ever strongly tempted TO enter the case,
would endanger the peace of Europe by
such action. This would mean the recast-
ing of continental combinations, and would
perhaps precipitate general war, the end
of which no man could fOresee.
But this is all speculative, based upon the
assumption that Spain has. in fact, an
swered the American ultimatum by a formal
withdrawal from the conference. If she is
not belIgerently inclined diplomacy may
bring her around to a more reasonable atti-
tude- She may be merely playing to the
galleries once again. preferring the pose of
a helpless but proud nation submitting to
force rather than yielding her possessions.
Unless she has already made her arrange
mentS for an alliance or for a shifting of
her financial responsibilities. this play will
hardly avail The naval forces OF this coun-
try are in position TO strike a speedy and
effective blow at the continental Spanish
cities, and Europe would in such an event
be given small chance TO Speculate as to the
meaning of Spains withdrawal before a
new peace conference would be in order,
with new demands, perhaps this time total
ly wiping away the remaining vestiges of
Spain's island holdings and remaking the
map of the world.
Whatever may be the meaning of this
day doings in Paris, the situation will find
the United States as ready ever TO do
Its duty. and, with the experiences of the
past summer well in mind, it is easy to
forecast the result