The herald., 1898-11-21
Seems to Be Set for Solution ] his
Afternoon
THE ALTERNATIVES OFFERED TO SPAIN
She Must Cede the Islands for the Sum Offered by the
United States Lose Them by Conquest
and at Added Cost
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
PARIS, Nov. 20-The Spanish peace COM
missioners have been notified that the
United States commissioners will be ready
to treat with them in joint session tomor-
row afternoon. Unless the Spaniards have
an adequate reason for further delay the
two commissions will join in the most i'm
portant meeting thus far held.
The American commissioners, in written
communication, will declare that the third
article of the protocol regarding the Phil.
ippines is capable of only one fair construc.
ton, that no reason is needed to elucidate
its terms, and that the United States can
not admit any other power to argue with
her purely al q lexicologist. They will main.
tain that the two commissions are charged
to determine whether Spain or the United
States shall in the future own the Philip
pines. This will be accompanied by the
clear declaration that the United States
will possess the Philippines.
THE ALTERNATIVES OFFERED
Following this determination, the Amer
ican commissioners will lay before the
Spanish two alternatives.
First-To accept a sum of money from
the United States and to cede and evacuate
the Philippines.
Second-To lose the Philippines to the
United States by conquest, with the posi-
bilities of other territorial losses to indem-
Nifty the United States for the added ex-
pense of conquest.
This communication may not be formally
designated as an ultimatum, but it will lack
naught of the concusveness indicated by
that word. This will be SO plain that the
Spanish commissioners will scarcely haggle
for money on the first alternative, nor
cherish any doubt of American action under
the second, should the first be declined.
THE SUM NOT YET NAMED
None here except the American commits
sioners know how much will be rendered
Spain as the cheapest and most humane
way of settling the difficulty. She is ex-
ceedingly anxious to escape the Philippine
debt and possibly the sum to be offered may
be determined by analysis of that debt,
which consists of $40, O,OOO, 600 in bonds on
which she realized 500, ,OOO, 900. OF the latter
amount she is believed to have expended
some $10,0OO,O00 or $11,00O,000 in fighting
the United States and part in attempting
to quell the Philippine insurgents. A rea-
6OnaDle guess AT tHc SUN IOT teLutT WOulu
be $40, O,OOO, ,OO0, although it may fall below
that.
THE CUBAN QUESTION
The Cuban question may come up again
tomorrow. The American commission had
thought the discussion on that point fin
ished, but the Spanish commissioners are
reported to have declared last week that the
mortgages imposed by Spain on the Cuban,
as well as on the Philippine revenues, must
not be impaired or questioned. This would
compel the American commissioners soon
and probably tomorrow-to demand wheth-
er Spain means to repudiate the plain COM
pact of the protocol to relinquish sovereign
ty over and title to Cuba
Three weeks ago, the Spanish commits
sioners accepted the Cuban article in the
protocol without conditions, save that its
embodiment in the treaty should depend
only on an agreement here on all the articles
OF the protocol. Recently, however, Span
ish representatives have said that the Cuban
matter had only been temporarily passed
and was still in allegiance.
LONDON, Nov. 22.-The Madrid CORE
spondent of the Daily Mail says: "It is as
serted that the government would reject an
offer of $4O,OOO,000 for the Philippines as
ridiculous"
The Madrid correspondent of the Stand
ard says: "Spain will decline indemnity for
the Philippines if the sum offered appears
inadequate in the eyes of the nation.