Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-15
NAMES TO DOCUMENT.
LAST MEETING IMPRESSIVE
To the Americans 1t Is a Happy End
ing of the War and to the Spaniards
With American, Spanish and
French Colors-McKinley Relieved


was signed at SIS Saturday evening.
There has been a great contest among
the families and friends Of the Amer
lean commissioners for possession of
the pens with which The signatures
were written. Some of the Americans
were provided with handsome pens
purchased for the purpose. The Span
iards appeared unaffected by the SOU
venir craze and contented themselves
with the ordinary quill pens strewn on
the table. Arthur Ferguson, interpre-
ter of the American commission, re-
quested Senior Montero Rios to give
him his pen, saying:
"Have you any desire to preserve the
pen with which you will sign?"
Not in the slightest" said the
Spaniard with courtly bow
The treaty as signed consists Of II
articles, it having been found advis-
able to sub-divide two or three articles
in the draft agreed upon at the last
meeting. The commissioners of the
TWO nations wrote their signatures on
two of the copies of the treaty. one
copy being for the archives. The doc
ument was prepared by Secretary
Moore in behalf of the United States
commission and by Senior Villa Rutia
for the Spaniards, on account of the
continued illness of Secretary Ojeda of
the Spanish commission. Each copy
contains English and Spanish texts of
the treaty in parallel columns The
wording had been approved previously
by the commissions without joint
meeting, SO there was no controversy
on this subject.
The signing Of the treaty would have
afforded a subjec. for a great histori-
cal painting. The group, gathered
about the table ia the stately chamber
Of the foreign office, was impressive in
itself, while the fact that sense Of
the momentousness of the issues
which the act decided, deeply felt by
all participants, gave an impressive
and solemn tone to the scene. Around
the great mahogany table sat the ten
arbters Of the destinies of an old and
young nation. Ranged, standing be-
hind them, were numerous attaches Of
the American commission. 4ere was
theatrical contrast between the
black-clothed actors and the scenery.
To the Americans it was a happy end
ing of the epilogue Of the war; for the
Spaniards it was plainly bitter TRACE
dy, none the less painful because long
foreseen. They sat silently as though
almost crushed, and none could with
hold sympathy from Senior Montero
Rios, president of the Spanish com
mission, who, coming from his bed,
was bundled in great overcoat though
logs were burning in the fireplace
nearby.
Although the commissions met at
$50 o'clock, expecting to finish their
work in half an hour, the engrossing
of the treaty on parchment was found
to be so troublesome that it delayed
the signing Of the document until 8:20
Clerk Martin, of the American com
mission, worked all day without even
stopping to eat When he came into
the chamber at 1880 with the document
he found the commissioners waiting.
The Spanish copy had arrived half an
hour earlier. Arthur Ferguson, then
proceeded to read first the English and
after the Spanish version of the treaty.
This finished, the two copies were
| passed around the table, the commits
| sioners signing them in the order Of
! their rank-William R. Day, Senator
| Cushman K. Davis, Senator William
! P Frye, Whitelaw Reid and Senator
Gray; Senior Montero Rios, Senior Alb
I arzuza, Senior Garnica, Senior Villauru-
tia and Gen. Cerero SaOns; each
| commission signing its opponent
| treaty. Both were tied with Spanish
and American colors. When the seals
were prepared to 6e af-
| fixed, the attendants sent for
ribbons of French tri-color with
which the documents were sealed as a
compliment to the French hosts Of the
commissions Many officials interest
eddy watched every detail of the pro
! ceedings. The last seal being i'm
pressed, the commissioners rose and
without formality, each member shook
hands with all his antagonists and eX-
changed assurances of sincere personal
esteem. The Spaniards afterward
commented acridly upon what they
| termed the bad taste of the Americans
in mastering a crowd of attaches to
gloat over the consummation of their
downfall and scramble for relics.
The signing was finished at 8:45 p.
m At that time the door of the cham
Der was opened and Senior Villaurutia
appeared and exclaimed to a group Of
correspondents in the corridor:
"C'est fini." The other members OF
the Spanish commission followed and
passed silently through the Vestibule
to waiting carriages. The American
commissioners strolled out chatting
complacentIy and as they descended
the steps the lights in the chamber
were darkened.
Commission Congratulated.
Washington, Dec. 11.-Ohcial news
of the signing of the peace treaty was
received last evening from Judge Day
The president was alCne at the time
but soon all the members of the cabi-
uet called or sent congratulations
The presidents congratulations wers
promptly cabled to the commission