The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-10-27
THE pEACE COMMISSION.
Serious Hitch Between the Repre-
sentatives of the Two Nations as
Soon as Real Business Began.

0OO0 as Real BUSINESS began.
The Peace Commission got through their
social functions and settled down to real
business early last week and then it devel
oped that the representatives OF the two Ma
tons were exceedingly wide apart in their
views. The Spaniards put forth the propo-
sition that the sovereignty of Cuba having
been transferred to the United States, it car
ried with it the responsibility for ali the
| Islands obligations, including the $500, 000,
600 of the debt. The Americans denied this
proposition in toto. They denied that the
sovereignty had passed to the United States,
and that the so-called Cuban debt was a
legitimate charge upon the Island, it having
been incurred for other than Cuban pur-
poses. The Spaniards insisted upon the
transfer of the sovereignty, as otherwise the
Island would be in a condition OF anarchy,
as there could be no such a thing rs lapse
of sovereignty. The Americans replied that
they would take care OF the anarchy; that the
| United States had declared that it would not
enter upon a war of conquest, but merely
undertake to end an intOlerable condition of
affairs at our very doors. There was much
finessng and chop-logic on the part OF the
Spaniards as to the question of sovereignty
and the meaning of the word "reinquish !"
| in the Cuban paragraph of the protocol.
| Finally, last Monday. Judge Day brought
| this to an end by the declaration that delay
was the only possible object attainable by
| the persistent efforts of the Spanish Commits
sioners to saddle the United States with the
Cuban debt. and would be tolerated no
| longer, as the United States would neither
assume nor guarantee any part of the debt.
| The Span;ards replied that this placed
Spain in position of Iepudiating or of re-
ducng the face value of the Cuban bonds
from so to so per cent, paying only half the
stipulated interest on the reduced value Be-
fore they would adopt either alternative they
would surrender to the United States the
entire Philippines.
of the Philippines would probably be de-
manded, irrespective of the Cuban or any
other debt
This, to the Spaniard, sthe first intimation
of the intentions OF the United States as to
the Philippines resulted in whispered con-
ference, followed by request for an adjourn
ment in order to communicate with Madrid.
Judge Day said that President Mckinley
had instructed him to demand the entire sur
render of Porto Rico the next day Tuesday /,
and the delivery of every town to the United
States officers before midnight, together with
the evacuation of Havana ON or before Nov.
], when the United States would be at the
gates of the city ready to take possession.
There was no alternative offered in the
case of either of these demands, and the ses-
sion consequently was very brief. The
American Commissioners have received dis
patches from Washington indicating that the
Administration is irritated and indignant
over the delay of the Spanish Commissioners.
The negotiations proceed very slowly, be-
cause the Americans insist on everything
taking the shape of written memorials,
which have to be translated, and then are re-
piled to in the same way. The Spaniards
have vainly tried to get the Americans to
conduct business conversationally
A suggestion as to arbitration by Germany
or Russia was met by the statement that the
Americans had strict orders not to allow
any Intervention by third parties.
The Commission again met last Saturday,
and held two-and-a hours session. de-
voted to listening to further arguments by
1.-The Spaniards on the Cuban debt question
| While the French press is unanimous that
the United States should assume the Cuban
debt, the English papers declare that it is
monstrous to think of such thing 1t
would be paying a premium on misgovern-
ment and oppression, and there is enough
! evidence TO warrant the assertion that Spain
has always contemplated the probability OF
saddling the debt on the United States.
| At Madrid there is deep disappointment
and anger at the failure of Sagasta's shillfUlly
| laid plans to minimize the results of the war.
SenOr Montero Rios, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, had high hopes that he would be able
to get treaty of peace that would reduce
SPANS losses to the lowest point He was
wofully disappointed in the infexible atti-
tude OF the Americans To his juggling
about sovereignty the American Commits
sioners made the point that they had not in