Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-10-29
A SERIOUS PROBLEM
Jonfronts Our Peace Commission
ers at Paris.
THE CUBAN DEBT QUESTION.

1t May Not Sc stated with Certainty
That That Matter Has Received Its
Last Consideration by the Ameri-
cans. Nor That spain Has Yielded.
Paris. oct. 2T-Yesterday's meeting
of the peace commissioners lasted one
hour and Eve minutes. Both the
Spanish and American commissioners
were more reticent after this session
than ever before. The Americans fully
appreciate not only their own serious
responsibilities. but also the delicate
position OF their Spanish colleagues. to
the burden of whose duties here Is now
added the critical political situation at
Madrid. which may compel the presi-
dent of the Spanish commission twho
is also president of the Spanish senate),
Senior Montere Rios. to leave Paris.
The Madrid correspondent Of The
Temps. in confirming the report that
Premier Sagasta and the queen regent
have prevailed upon the minister OF
war General Correa, to indefinitely
postpone his resignation, pending the
conclusion of the peace negotiations,
says that they represented to the gen
eral that his withdrawal might entail
not only the fall of the cabinet, but
cause the resignation of certain MEM
bers of the Spanish commission, includ-
ing Senior Montero Rios, and thereby
gravely compromise the issue of the
peace negotiations.
The correspondent of The Temps
adds THE net result is that an open
crisis seems to have been avoided until
the conclusion of the treaty of peace.
In any case this has done away with
the necessity for an interim govern
ment. which was lately suggested as
likely to he the only solution of the
present difficulties"
AS the peace negotiations are now
nearing the decision of the Philippine
question the Americans feel that no
stage of the proceedings has so de-
manded their considerate treatment
IT may not be stated with certainty
that the Cuban question has received
its last consideration by the Ameri-
cans, nor that the Spaniards have ac-
cepted as ultimate the United States
refusal to assume any portion OF the
Cuban debt.
At yesterdays sitting the Spanish
peace commissioners presented a new
counter memorandum declaring their
readiness Professionally to accept an
article of a preliminary treaty stipu-
lating that Spain shall relinquish all
rights to sovereignty In Cuba without
formulating any other claim" and to
leave in suspense all remaining ques-
lions, especially the Philippines. The
Americans asked time until today to
reply to this new memorandum
This is regarded as a favorable sign,
being a slight relaxation of the rigid
ity the Americans have hitherto shown.
They are perhaps aware that the Gu
ban and even the Spanish bondholders
are becoming alarmed at the strange
turn of the financial side of the dis
cussion, in which Spain. the United
| States and Cuba, with extraordinary
unanimity and carelessness, all repudi-
ate the Cuban debt.
Nobody will be able to force Spain
to accept the debt, for. apart from
bankruptcy, she could only meet the
liability at the expense of her foreign
| bondhoIders, who, by a strange an
omaly, would thus have to pay for the
independence of Cuba. 1t is not likely
that either the United States or any
other power can or will force Spain TO
ruin herself by meeting the Cuban
debt, and it win then either be a total
loss for Europe or be paid by the Span
ish bondholders