The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-07
AN ACCOMPLISHED FACT
Treaty of Paris Will Be Signed in
Few Days.
EIGHT CHIEF ARTICLES
Essential Features Have Been Disposed
Of-Americans Reject spain's Re-
quest for Shipping In Cuban
and Porto Rican Waters.

Paris. Dec. s.-The peace treaty OF
Paris is practically an accomplished
fact. To-day's session disposed of the
essential features of the treaty. which
will be embodied in the following eight
articles:
The customary preface of treaties, in
the nature of an expression of amity
and Of hope for perpetual peace.
The REIMBURSEMENT by Spain OF her
sovereignty over Cuba.
The Withdrawal of the Spanish troops.
The REIMBURSEMENT by Spain of her
sovereignty over Porto Rico.
Spain's cession Of the Philippines.
The withdrawal of the Spanish troops
there.
100000 for the Philippines.
The provision for the "open door"
commercial policy in the Philippines.
The rough draft of the treaty covers
the proposals. IL makes a long docu-
ment. which senator Davis of the peace
commission says will be found to be one
of the most interesting papers of its
character ever written. So completely
are the details of the evacuation of the
n tpfnfnlS-
sion such as arranged for the Spanish
withdrawal from the West Indies will
be unnecessary.
Among the questions not yet settled,
however, are the coaling station and
religious freedom i'm the Carolines, the
Spanish commission not having replied
To the American offer. The Americans
have agreed TO transport the Spanish
prisoners home. including the garrison
and sailors at Manila captured by Ad-
miral Dewey and General Merritt, as
well as the soldiers and civilians held
by the Filipinos. whose return the
Americans have guaranteed. As COM
pensation. Spain promises to liberate
all Cubans. Porto Ricans and Philip
pine political prisoners. Spanish SOL
diers electing to remain i'm the colonies
may do so. but IL is more a matter OF
economy for the Americans to return
the others, as they must be fed as long
as they are kept, and Spain is unable
TO bear the expense of fths-saaaixiaiion--
Also the Americans have. rejected
Spain's request for shipping for 10
years I'm Cuban and Porto Rican
waters, they having given the Spanish
commissioners such poor consolation
as the latter may derive from the per-
mission to reapply when the diplomatic
relations have been renewed for ship
ping concessions under the reciprocity
scheme Of the Dingley law. for which
tfiipi l'hBhg ht lsbiflt WIS NEGOTIATING
I'm Washington when the war broke
out.
There are still under discussion eight
secondary subjects which the Spanish
commissioners broached last week, in
cluding the status of patents and copy
rights. The American commissioners
to-day handed to Senor Montero Rios
written reply covering these ques-
tons. There will probably be no joint
session Tomorrow, as the Spaniards de-
sire time To consider this document.
The joint commissions met at 2 p. m.
IL has developed that yesterdays ses-
sion was of far greater importance
than Is generally supposed. IL result
ed in the Americans uncompromising-
ly rejecting Spain's request that for a
term of years ships Of that country and
its products be admitted to Cuban and
Porto Rican ports under the same reg
ulations ana customs tariff as Amer
lean ships and products. The Spanish
commission for some days has been
playing for this. The Americans were
anxious for a decision on the question
Of coaling station in the Caroline ISL
ands. religious tolerance in the Caro-
lines and release OF political prisoners.
The Spaniards We're unwilling to answer
these points until they heard what the
Americans proposed To do for their in
dustries. which had been built up by
Cuban and Porto Rican trade.
This is why Spain contended the ar
ticles Of treaty should be disposed OF
I'm their order. while the Americans
wanted first to settle their pressing
need. The session of yesterday was
practically a fight on the order Of the
procedure. Finally the Americans
yielded. and then the Spaniards pro-
posed their shipping and commercial
question. which the Americans rejected
in its entirety. The session then ad-
journed with neither side in an espe-
cially amiable frame of mind.
II H. learned there were differences Of
opinion among the Americans on the
Spanish shipping question and numer-
Gus telegrams were exchanged with
Washington. Finally the American
commission was instructed 10 refuse
the principal reason being that Porto
Rico Is about to be declared within the
coast line OF the United States. while
as regards Cuba. the authorities at
Washington would make no promise,
as the American occupation there is not
fixed and the future Cuban government
will make its own treaties. Exactly
what Spain requested was that her
ships and products should be accorded
the same privileges in Cuba and Porto |
Rico for period Of 10 years as had
been conceded To Spain in the Philip |
pines when the commissioners |
emerged from the foreign office this !
evening after a long session Judge Day
announced that all the requests had |
been settled and they would be signed |