Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-11-18


making notes OF records to be examined
and "f law points bearing on the matter
IN manu-. as n result when the Amert-
cans gathered for their daily session to-
day the Spanish presentmcnt lay before
them in English. ready for consideration
ana accompanied by data bearing upon
it. ..
CONTENTS AS YET SECRET.
n" unofficial person knows the con-
tents OF the document presented BY the
spanish commissioners yesterday, but 1t
Is safe To assume that. added to her in
sistencc on the reservation of her Phil
ippine sovereignty ana her proposition
to arbitrate the construction Of the third
article Of the protocol. Spain has made
two other Important statements:
LIST. That. on the high ground OF fl
nancial probity. she cannot allow any
discussion here Of the validity of her
action III pledgng the resources of the
Philippines for the payment of the Phil
ippinc debt.
PACIFIC EXPENDITURES
End. That. in connection with the
American proposal to reimburse Spain
for her pacific expenditures In the Phil
ippnes. she cannot admit of an inquiry
ais to how she has spent the proceeds
of the loan based on the Philippine
pledges.
tf Spain has assumed this attitude,
and 1t is believed She has done So she
practically compels the American COM
missioners to consider ut least the entire
Philippine debt and its assumntiop by
the United States or the Philippine Isl
lands rs 4 condition to Spain's amicable
surrender of her sovereignty over those
islands.
1t is difficult to understand how the
Americans can reply to this in any.
other manner than by strictly outlining
their position and giving the Spaniards
In, wi, i..h 70, fI,o
positions of the United States. But the
American commissioners may patient
~ continue their cndeavorS to arrive at
an amicable understanding on the sub
TIE i7i:' TFEsfDs SlFssEsi-ffs.-szIENs;
| WASHINGTON. Nov. 1.-THE s asta
mnis,ratinn feels encouraged over the
| outlook for successful termination OF
the labors of the peace commissioners ut
| Paris. Whether this renewed evil
| dencc is based on an abstract OF the
Spanish reply. which was submitted at
| yesterdays meeting. or is founded upon
| private adviccs indicating a weakening
of the Spanish position Is not known.
| but il is probable that both of these
| have had an influence in Frightening
| the prospects. The Spanish reply was
| not surprise 70 the American commits
| soners who. In fact. had prepared
| themselves in advance with instructions
received tllcttlS from lHe FIeSlueflC anu
| Secretary Hay for complete answer.
Still it was probably regarded as better
policy and more in accord with the
| amenities of official exchange that the
! Americans should do the Spanish COM
| missioners the courtesy of giving delib-
crate consideration to their carefully
written argument. But with all due
intent to give proper weight to the
Spanish representations. it must be said.
up TO this point. they have had very
little effect In influencing the Ameri-
can commissioners; not because of any
obstinate disregard of facts on their
part. but for the simple reason that al
most every one of the points made by
the Spanish commissioners has been an
tiripated in the preparation of the
American case. no small tribute to the
acLmrn and diligence of Judge Day and
Secretary John Moore
ATTEMPTS FUTILE.
The attempt OF the Spanish commits
sloners To induce the Americans to ac-
| cept their construction of the meaning
of the protocol where 1t touches on the
Philippines has been Il flat failure. The
President himself was party to the prep
aration of the protocol. 1t was he who
suspecting purpose on the Spanish
side to becloud the issue and leave open
a door for future escape from conSe-
Qucnces OF the war, had swept aside as
| SO much chaIf the message of the Span
ish Duke Almodovar del Rio. and, re-
ducing the demands of the United
States to what is called a precisiS, had
declared that the Spanish government
might accept that as an exact st1te-
mcn of the demands of the United
States. Having made the document the
President believes himself to be the per-
son to be the best competent to construe
its meaning and the American commits
sioncrs are consequently acting In con-
fornlity with his view
NJ. CAMBON'S STATEMENT
lnaSmuch as the Spanish are making
| most strenuous efforts to assert their
sovereignty over the Philippines. all
based upon the use Of the word ''dispo-
sitiun'' instead OF possession" in that
part Of the protocol relating n the fu-
1ure of the Philippines. it may be state.
that the American commissioners have
been obliged to call attention to the fact
that NJ. ,amhon. who acted for the
Spanish government in arranging the
protocol declared positively that the
charge, which was made at his instance,
amounted to nothing was of no signi-
ncance in English or as affectin
object aimed at but was made merely
because it sounded better in Spanish
an Il would not be SO humliating to the
Spaniards Consequently the American
commissioners could not fer an instant
think Of allowing the sincerity of the
then French ambassador to be drawn
into question.
An elegant assortment of fine deco
rated Toilet tsvashstand) Sets. and q
selection of Pictures which cannot be