, 1898-11-15
A RUPTURE CERTAIN
PEACE CONFERENCE AT PARIS IS
LIKELY TO END THIS
WEEK.
Spain Asks for More Time-Will Take
Her Final Stand by Wednesday,
Spain Will Suggest Negotiations
Be Resumed Between Madrid and
Washington.

Paris, Nov. 14.-It has been decided
that there will be no joint sessions Of
the peace commissions today.
Secretary Moore of the United States
commission received from Secretary
Ojeda of the Spanish commission this
morning a not saying hat the Spanish
commission had found it impossible to
prepare their memorandum for presen-
tation today and asking if the United
States commissioners would be incon-
venienced if, owing to the late arrival
from Madrid, of expected data, the
Spaniards should request that the next
meeting be deferred until Wednesday.
Secretary Moore replied that the
American commissioners . were quite
ready to accommodate the Spaniards in
this matter and the joint session was
practically deferred until Wednesday
next.
Importance is attached to this delay,
it being regarded as indicating that the
Spanish commissioners are preparing
for a final stand in these negotiations.
and it may now be definitely stated that
they will not sign a treaty Of peace
which yields to Spain no more from the
Philippine islands than has thus far
been offered or indicated by the Ameri-
cans.
Should the latter that the
United States is only willing to reim-
burse Spain for her Pacific expenditures
in the Philippine islands, the Spanish
commissioners will reply that their
mission is finished. Should this occur,
it Is possible the Spaniards will also
sugge;t a suspension Of the negotiations
through the commission and a re-
sumption OF negotiations between Mad
rid and Washington.
This attitude OF the Spaniards is ex-
planned by the fact that the members OF
the Spanish commission have political
alliances and personal responsibilities
to constituents and the national credi-
tors Of Spain, which restrict them to
certain lines. which are. as far as the
ministry at Madrid cares to go. 1t is
pointed out that il the five Spanish COM
missioners here signed a treaty yielding
the Philippine islands to the United
States without lessening SPANS debt in
an appreciable degree, they could o
return home with the prospect of any
political future before them, and pos
bly, would he in danger of violence at
the hands of mobs.
At the next meeting of the commits
sions the Americans will learn the def
mite attitude Of Spain on In PROPOSE
ton thus far made. The Spaniards,
however, in this presentation will not
declare all negotiations closed. They
will insist that the sovereignty Of Spain
over the Philippine islands is beyond
question, but will announce SPANS
readiness to yield that sovereignty for
an adequate equivalent, and will then
ih'AtC hCeolAdliohS uhuSl lhC oPdAish
construction of the protocol. The Amer
lean commissioners may then com
municate their final attitude to the
S~paniards, but the Americans are ex-
pected at a future meeting to present a
carefully prepared conclusion of their
contention and conditions. Should they
be no different from those already pre-
sented, the time will then have arrived
when Spain will declare herself help
less, though %steadfast, and will await
the next step Of the United States,
whatever 1t will be. Thus Spain will
be able to say to her creditors that she
has done her utmost and that the issue
must rest between them and the United
States.