The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-11-05
PAY FOR PHILIPPINES
SPAIN WILL RECEIVE A COMPENSATION
FOR THEM.
Some "ranEiing Expected When Amount
OF Pay is Considored.-.Spain's Frat n.
mands Will Doubtless BE More Than N.
United States Will Give,

WASHINGTON. There is only ona
question for discussion between tha
American and Spanish peace commits.
sioners regarding the Philippine
islands, and this is the amount and
character Of compensation that is to ba
given to Spain for her Oriental possas.
sions.
The administrations determination
to hold all the islands closes that feat.
ure of the case entirely. When the
American commissioners in Paris
make known this determination Of
their government, the representatives
of Spain will probably protest with,
vlgor; but they, representing the con.
quered nation, must ultimately yield
and make the best terms that the
United States is willing to give them.
1t is not the purpose of the admins.
tration to take the Philippines without
giving Spain compensation, and it is
probable that there will be several
propositions before an agreement as
to the compensation is reached,
SPANS first demands will doubtless
be much in excess of what the United
States is willing to give, considering
toe fact that the most valuable part Of
the islands, and the capital of the
whole group, is a legitimate prize Of
war, taken and held by the military
and naval forces of the United States
before the signing of the peace proto.
col was known to the combatants in
the island.
There is no doubt that, under the
rules of war as they have been applied
in the past, the victor can impose what
ever terms he may desire upon the
vanquished, and had the war been
longer drawn and more expensive in
blood and treasure, it is probable that
the president would have directed the
peace commissioners to demand the
surrender Of the Philippines without
any compensation whatever.
Porto Rico and Guam island and
the island of Luzon, with Manila bay
and the city of Manila, are looked
upon as indemnity for the war, and
the administration is inclined to the
opinion that, as it has now been deter
mined that all the Philippines must be
held by the United States, it would
only be fair to Spain to pay a none
tary consideration for the remainder
Of the group.
WILL TAKE THE ARCHIPELAGO.
PAR1s.,-While the Spanish and
American peace commissioners now
stand upon the threshold of the Phil
ippine question, it seems probable, in
the light Of this hour, that the United
States will take over the entire archi-
pelago.
Should the United States absorb the
Philippines, none but officials yet know
whether they would assume q part or
all of this debt or more than the Phil
ippine debt. The Americans have de-
clined to assume any of the Cuban
debt, because Cuba is not theirs; but
in deposing Spain in the Philippines,
the Americans acquire the territory,
and it is believed there will be some
financial assumption by the United
States.
At this point rises the question Of
how much financial relief might COM
pose Spain to her loss of the Philip
pines. Some well-informed persons
believe that Premier Sagasta has de-
termined to be rid Of the Philippines,
aid would direct his commission to
sign treaty by which the United
States should take the islands and as
sumo the $40, 100000.