Iron County register., 1898-12-08
THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.
The Conference in Paris Progress
ing Satisfactorily and a Favor
able Issue Expected.
SOME QUESTIONS YET TO BE SETTLED.
Further Concessions, However, Must Be
Optional with Spain, the Demanding
Stage Having Been Exhausted with the
ProtOcol-Problems Requiring Much
Time for Their Adjustment.


Washington, Dec. 3.-It can be
stated positively that no hitch has oc-
CURED in the proceedings of the peace
commission at Paris, and an impress
sion to the contrary in certain quarters
probably arose through a misunder-
standing of the phase those proceed
ing have reached. With the ac-
quiescence by the Spanish commits
sioners in the demands set out in the
original protocol all danger of failure
to reach the point of signature of a
peace treaty disappeared. and that
such treaty will be Forthcoming.
covering at least all of the protocol
points, is considered as sure. What is
now going on in Paris is negotiation
respecting certain objects which the
United States government seeks to ac-
complish in that manner instead of re-
sorting to the more usual, but more
tedious method of correspondence be-
tween the TWO governments. These
objects have been clearly stated in
general terms in the press cable dis
patches from Paris, namely, the ac-
QUESTION of one of the Caroline ISL
ands as a cable station and coaling
station; of certain rights to land ca
bles on Spanish possessions at other
points; the procurement of freedom
of religious worship in the Carolines,
and the revival of certain treaties of
trade and commerce, etc.
Purely Diplomatic Negotiations Which
DO Not Affect the Peace Treaty.
But as stated these matters are
purely the subjects of diplomatic ne
gotiations and do not in any way af-
feet the conclusion of the peace treaty.
They might all fail to be realized and
still the treaty would not be affected.
Moreover, while Spain was the SUBJ
ject of peremptory demands in the
case of the protocol points, she is free
of compulsion now while these dipIo-
matte exchanges are in progress. She
may sell 20 the United States one of
the Caroline islands or may refuse to
do so, and, moreover, if we buy the
island it must be at price satisfac-
tory to Spain. She may even sell the
Caroline group to Germany instead of
to the United States, if she can OBJ
tain a better price for the former.
There is good reason to assume the
correctness of the report that Ger
many is, even now, bargaining for
these islands.
All other points covered by these
negotiations are a matter for mutual
arrangement and not of demanding.
Not laundering After the Island of Ceuta.
The statement that Spain refused to
sell us Ceuta, opposite Gibraltar, for a
coaling and cable station, is mac
curate; the United States government
has not made any such proposition
for the acquisition of that island and
would hesitate very long before en-
tering upon the turbulent field of ac-
tivities involved in the assumption of
territory IN the neighborhood of the
Mediterranean.
DesIrabIeness of Securing the CaroIInes.
The case is different, respecting the
Carolines. The American naval ex-
perts have urged very strongly that,
this group, as a whole be retained, if
possible, and in addition that of the
Pelew group, lying to the westward,
be purchased. They have pointed out
that the southernmost island of the
Ladrone group, Waloa, lies only 800
miles north of Ponape, in the Caro-
lines, and the Pelew islands are only
about 600 miles distant from the Phil
ippines.
Natural Trade Channel.
Moreover, the vast bulk of trade in
that quarter of the world passes di-
rectly through the natural channel
between the Ladrones and the Caro-
lines, of which the United States
would have command. If Germany is
able to outbid the United States for
these islands, she may obtain them,
but a suspicion is entertained that
the naming of $2,O0O.00O was inspired
BY friendly desire to get the best
possible terms for Spain from the
United States by raising the price of
the goods.
"A Pledge that Must be Kept InvioIate.
One of the pledges which is almost
as good as treaty obligation in its
force even now, is that the United
States, in return for the release of
the political prisoners from Cuba and
Porto Rico, beld by Spain, will secure
the release of the Spanish prisoners
held by Aguinaldo, and to this matter
is being devoted here. There
has been an almost daily dispatch
from Gen. Otis announcing the ar
rival of transport at Manila loaded |
with United States troops, and the |
war department is fairly confident of |
its ability now to undertake the full !
control of the Philippines with the as
sistance of the naval contingent un-
der Dewey.
Will Not be Easy of Accomplishment.
It is realized that the task of in |
ducing Aguinaldo to surrender the /
captives for whom he has demanded |
such an extravagant ransom-S1, $780, |
ooo-under penalty of cutting their
is going to be a difficult one;
but. after all, the United States COM |
missioners in Paris have only under
taken that the United States govern |
ment shall use its best effots to Sc
cure the release of the prisoners; they |
have not pledged the government to
perform the impossible.
Yesterdays session was repetition
Of several earlier meetings.
The Retort Austere.
When. after two hours of discussion /
taking a wide range, the Spaniards
were pressed for definite statements,
they pleaded that they had not re-
ceived instructions from Madrid. There
upon the Americans declared, in Dip
lomatic phraseology, that it was use
less to waste time in debate with men
who were not empoweredto make bar
rains AIfhouch adiOurumenf was