Evening star., 1898-10-29
WOULDPAY OUTRIGHT
Administration Not Disposed to As
sumo the Philippine Debt.
Mr.. HAY CONFERS WITH THEPRESIDENf
Question to Come Up in Paris
Next Monday.
OUR INITIAL D E M A N D


Secretary Hay of the State Department
was sent for by President Mckinley this
morning and they had short conference,
presumably on the outlook before the peace
commission in Paris. Whatever the nature
of the conference 1t can be stated on un-
impeachabIe authority that propositions
ON the Philippine question have yet been
submitted at Paris. and none have been
considered. On the same authority the
statement can be made that the final posi-
ton of the United States the Philippine
question has not been determined, and will
not be determined for some time. No off-
ciaI of the administration in Washington
believes that the peace commission will
finish its work in ten days or two weeks.
Secretary Hay himself does not think so.
The Philippine Bonds.
On high authority it is known that the
American government will probably con-
slider no proposition for the assumption of
the bonded Indebtedness of the Philippines.
Prominent members of the cabinet and the
President himself. 1t is believed, are op-
posed to this government assuming any
thing. If the Philippines pass to the United
States. as every one now believes, and
there is anything involved in the way OF
to Spain. The money is in the treasury
gold at that-to pay all promises OF the
American commission, and this will be
done.
The situation as learned by representa-
tive of The Star today. is something like
this: The American commissioners left
Washington without definite instructions
as to what final position to assume on the
Philippines. The minimum demand how
ever. was TO be the cession of the Island of
LLZon to the United States. The instruc-
items 10 the commissioners on Cuba and
the bonded il debteGneSs of that island were
fLaL The commissioners were told that
this government would not assume a dol
lar Ci the money owed by Spain to bond
holders. The President himself gave this
Instruction and that accounts for the
Sieldtng position of the American commits
ss"hers- But as TO the Philippines such
El-yl"!tlns rC@Ition Is TO be assumed at this
stag There will come a moment. of
course. when a demand will be made from
which there will be no backing or filling.
TO Demand the Philippines
Monday. when the commissioners Of the
two countrie eet. it is expected that the
American commissioners will lay down the
proposition that the United States shall he
come the owner of the entire Philippine
archipelago. This position however may
or may not be subject to change. The Pres-
ldent and his cabinet will determine that as
events progress These events will be COM
municated 10 Washington in detail The
demand to b. made will be open to aea.otia-
tons OF course, the United States viii as
snfne no den, or pay no cash if 1t is found
MipoIItlc anI unjust TO do so. If President
mckinley thinks il is just that Spain shall
receive compensation that country will get
~ put the President has not yet reached
this conclusion.
On information which this country has
received, the sources of which are not
given, II IS believed that the Spanish com
nlsSioners will submit a counter propo-
TF1Rf
that Spain agrees to release the Philip
pines upon payment by the United States
OF certain amount in cash and upon the
assumption of the bonded Indebtedness of
the Islands Then upon this counter prop
oSitfon there will be many sessions of the
commission The Spanish proposition will
be cabied TO Washington and will be con-
s!dered in detail by the President and his
CABINET. The President Will want to know
something about this bonded Indebtedness
What 1t consists of and how much 1t is
After he has done this the position of the
United States will probably be determined
and the American commissioners viii be
instructed TO stand upon this without
change.
spain Expected to BE Stubborn
prominent administration officials do not
thlnk all this can be accomplished in a
le" days There is a bare chance il is
ADMITTED, that Spain has become disheart-
ened at her failure to succeed in the case
Of Cuba, and that she may give IN TO
every demand made without further fight
ing She may conclude that this countrv
Will push her to the wall no matter VIA,
proposition she makes This situation of
affairs would be slIrprjsinp bara ra,-r,b
less.
NO Official in Washington familiar with
the case so FAR expects the Spaniards TO
SINe III 10 our proposition to take the Phil
lpIlnes without making a stubborn nph,
ana without asking flo Ill
ttssiohS Some of these she NAV get while
oSi!crS VIII not be listened to. Every propo-
s!i9h to be submitted will be sent TO Presi
dent Mckinley and he will direc, tbo az,
S"'r 10 De made 1t is we'll known that the
AH'"tIc3h commissioners have no idea TO-
Gay upon what position they Will finally
s'dho. 1hey viii probably comrnunicate
ti.'ir views TO the President so thar h. ,oa,,
dctSrmlne the questions at issre '
w hlie 1t is generally thought. as stated
S..'t 'ht opening position of the United
otdtes VIII pc that We will take the PhiIip-
PitS, II may be settled row that no bond
tH indebtedness will be assumed The u1,as-
u"h oI taking on d bonded Indebtedness
L"S 700 many far-reaching possibilities for
~ ttslueht To consider. He and his cab
me argue that they need not enter uuon
st'h an arrangement when the United
''@'rS h,is caSh 10 pay whatever II wants
anu ilis1t cash consideration has no da n
In. hins Sehlnd IT. II is good deal
Aht d man VINO does cash business and
mas n" fears of being dunned on some OLD
account brought up for him to paw again
ne treasury is We'll provided with money
l" pay out even $4oooo 900 cash The ,,oI1
reserve hovers around $40. 900 900 desnite
the fact that gold is being paid ONT insts,5
or greenbacks- If the treasury cash iS
needed Tor anything else authority is sin
vested IN the Secretary Of the Treasury 70
issue S2oe.0oe,oov more in bonds. "
Another Statement Of the Case.
from another source the Information
comes that administration officials have
the same hopeful feeling of ultimate snc-
cess or the peace negotiations thar was
entertained yesterday at the cabinet meet
ing and the statement is reiterated that
negotiations are in a fair prospect of a
speedy termination. Although the oues-
ton OF the Philippines has not been for
Hally considered by the peace commission
efs there has been some informal discus
Sion between the American and SPANISH
representatives with the result that the
american commissioners are able to indi-
tstte 70 the administration that the settle
H-tHt VIII not he as difficult as was antict-
Fated some time ago. AS stated in yes-e--
day Star, the determination has been