The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-20

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commission was unable to meet the
United States peace commission at the
Joint session arranged for to-day and
the next meeting OF the two commissions
has been Axed for Friday next.
Judge Day. president of the American
commission, received communication
this morning from Senior MOntsro Rios,
president OF the Spanish commission,
saying that advlces expected but not
received from Madrid made 1t necessary
for himself and his colleagues to re-
quest postponement OF any further
conferences until, Friday next A cour-
teous reply was returned by Secretary
Moore. in behalf OF the American COM
missloners, granting an extenf.on Of the
time OF the next meeting as requested.
While the deferriRg Of any one cons
ference for two days IS not in itself an
important request, the delay by the
spanlards at this juncture is something
more than significant. The game Of
diplomacy now progressing here has
reached stage which makes 1t neces-
eary that the next move be made by
the Spanish commissioners. They are
confronted by the plain tact OF their
protocol agreement to rellnauish and
evacuate Cuba without any ''ifs,"
lands" or "buts." It has become clear
here that the spaniards cherished the
hope that they could Internationally
covenant to follow a given path and ul-
tlmately wander elsewhere and do less
or more than named in the protocol
compact The American commissioners,
however, have firmly adhered to the
boundary lines already mutually estab-
lIshed and within which they insist the
spanlards as well as themselves shall
duly proceed,
Nota war OF Conquest.
at IS not too much to say that Spain
now has more light than ever before on
the integrity and steadfastness in word
and purpose of the United States. Nor
Is 1t wide OF the fact 10 say that the
spaniards are now initlally appreclating
that the United States did not make war
on Spain to acquire Cuba as conquest
prize.
OF this spaniards may not yet be
wholly convinced, but the firm refusal
Of Judge Day and his colleagues to as
sumo the Cuban debt, because the
United states will not take the cover
eighty, has wldened Spanish perceptions
and has unquestIonably FASTENED their
convictions. wherefore 1t may, in a
sense, be true that having for the first
time a feeling that American pledges
and American performance and co-equal
terms, the spaninrds are now practical-
Iy on the threshold Of properly lighted
negotiations.
When Spain approached these negetia-
lions she was confronted by a wall OF
fast agreement which che, however. re-
earded as possible Of break or puncture
a, the point of castllllan diplomacy.
Thus she poised and has launched
against the protocol structure OF SEEM
ing soIdity the keen lances Of her
anesse. They have fallen broken at her
feet. The wall of American purpose
and mutual compact has proved not
only apparent. but real, and now spain's
commissioners give pause to their at
tack on the Cuban angle and ask time
to assure themselves of their previous
mlsjudgment. and also to reform their
lines or arrange new ones.
Reasons for Delay.
The assigned reason FOR to-day's re-
quest for delay is believed to have been
70 allow an interchange Of communion
tIon with Madrid and to formulate a
Anal attitude on the Cuban matter. This
attitude of the spanlards to be devel-
oped on Friday will be watched with
no little interest Their alternatives
are few. but pregnant. They accede TO
the American attitude, themselves as
anne the Cuban debt and SO forward
70 consider the next protocol point, Of
Porto Rico and the choice by the United
States OF an island in Ladrone group
or they may at this juncture formally
ask for arbitration, or as an extremity
which is not likely, may retire from
further negotiations.
The tone during the last four days
q, the spanish and French press IS sig
nIacant OF wIdened conhdences by the
spanish as TO the attitude they have
assumed in the negotiations here and
the recurring assurances of spain's de-
sire for arbitration may have had a
meaning. The spanlards may not have
sought to promote sympathy but had
they desired TO lay down a basis upon
which TO set up n plea TO Europe to
preyent what 1t IS sought to present
Al her ravlshment, the surface Indica-
lions could not have been more favora-
bly, disposed for that purpose than they
have been.
American Attitude.
Tho American commissioners. after
d,gpatchlnE their acquIescencc in the
delay, held n brief meeting, probably