The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-17

Paris, Nov. 16.-The meeting today OF
the Spanish-American commissioners
began at 2:15 p. m. and ended at D.
m. The Spanish commissioners pre-
sented a long document in answer to
the American argument which was
submitted last week. By mutual con-
sent the memorandum of today was
/ handed to the Americans without be-
/ ing read, and the meeting adjourned to
/ Saturday next. The Spanish commu-
nication will be translated this even
/ ing, and its contents viii be discussed
| by the United States commissioners to-
morrow at the usual daily session.
The Spaniards, in their cOmmunica-
I ton today reaffirmed the position
| which they assumed against tine dis
cUssion here Of Spain's Philippine SOW
| eTe;gnty. They insist that the words,
/ Shall determine the control, dispOsi-
/ ton and government of the Philip
| pines" II article 3 Of the peace pro-
| tocol, do not warrant any reference to
| Spain's withdrawal from the Philip
/ pines, except on her own terms, and,
/ therefore, the Spaniards propose arbi-
/ tration on the construction to be placed
/ on the words, The control, disposition
/ and government"
/ In signifying their willingness to sub
nit the Philippine article of the pro-
tocol to a third party for construction,
/ the Spanish commissioners urged that,
as there is obviously difference Of
/ opinion regarding the phrase, The con-
trGl. disposition and government Of the
[ Philippines" possibly the result OF a
misunderstanding, the Spaniards should
no more be asked to surrender their
/ view than the Americans to surrender
! theirs The memorandum points out
/ that a deadlock exists, which might be
4 broken by arbitration on the contend
! ing views, to which the Spanish COM
nnissiCners are quite ready to submit.
| The latter declare that they have no
/ idea of suggesting arbitration as to the
main issue, which touches the national
honor of both sides. but they are will
/ ing to accept exterior aid TO clear the
path OF negotiation.
It is safe to say that the American
! commissioners will not consent to in
woke exterior aid to cOnstrue the terms
of their own protocol.
CONFLICT IN THE RECORD.
Another nart Of today's Spanish
memorandum fatty asserts, upon the
/ authority Of NJ. CambOn'S reports of the
| protocol negotiations between Wash
ingtOn and Madrid through him, that
4
ed to Spain's reservation of her sOver-
eighty in the Philippines. This allega-
ton is directly opposed to the Amerl-
can record on the same subject. Judge
Days note to NJ CalnbOn, dated Aug
10, and already made public, informed
him that Spain's note of Aug. Z. accept
ing the terms Of peace laid down by
the United States, was not explicit, and
| proposed a protocol to reduce both par
ties to exactitude The american EOr1-
rnissioners now hold that the protocol
itself was born Of Spain's attempt to
restore her Philippine sovereignty,
though the Spanish memorandum today
squarely challenges the contention.
Moreover. the Spanish commissioners
today have alleged that President Nc
Kinley's objection to SDain's phrase
ology in accepting the terms of peace
was based solely, so far as was made
known upon this sentence in the Span
ish acceptance:
"They accepted the proffered terms,
subject to the approval of the cortes OF
the kingdom, as required by their con-
stitutiOnal duties
The Spanish memorandum of today
holds that ". CambOn answered tne
American objection to this by pointing
out that the American terms were prof.
fered subject to the approval of the
Americans, but that President Mckin-
ley replied that he did not desire to in
volve the internal affairs of Spain in
the proceedings on hand.
POINTED QUESTIONS.
The Spanish memorandum also asks
why, if the United States objected e
Spain's reservation Of sovereignty.
they did not plainly say so in the pro-
tocol and leave no room for argument
It asks why Judge Days note of Aug.
10 did not clearly declare that the
United States would not recognize such
reservation, and that the protocol was
necessary to prevent a misunderstand-
ing on that point 1t also asks Why
= Judge Days note practically ascribed
the inexpifcit form OF Spain's accept
= ance OF the terms TO teleSrepbic errors,
r while the exact terms Of SDAin's rese--
: walton of sovereignty, as held in Wash
! ingtOn before the protocol, are now be-
ing quoted in the proceedings here.
This portion of the SDanIsn mener-
andum is based upon letters written by
> NJ Cambon at the time, purDOrting to
{ describe interviews and transactions
: aItendIng the peace terms and pr9to-
col.
! On Saturday. the date fixed for the
! next meeting, the Americans viii ;r.ake
their response, in the course of when
it is not unlikely that the exact terms
, and precise time limit Of their accept
: ance will be communicated.