The age-herald., 1898-11-12
RT|FUL PLEA
 IF THE SPANISH America Should be Too Honorable
 to Demand Philippines MORTAL RUIN ID SPAIN Would Folio ,,'!~e Lo'5 of the MaIaz : Archipelago. -
 c0MMEP g. ADVANTAGES WOULD Not W the Annexation of the Is.
 Ends by the United States.
lot $ W the Annexation of the Is.
 Ends by the United States.
HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF TAGALEs
Would Tend to Make Them the Bitter est of the Americans, and the Is-
 lands Would Have to be Sub-
 jugated by the Sword.

Paris, November 11.-Marquis De Comil- las the strongest individual factor in Spains financial and commercial world, who is now in this city, made a statement today to the correspondent of the Associ- ated Press of his personal views regarding the Hispano- American situation.
 He is here primarily as the representa- tive before the Spanish peace commission of La Production Nacionala, a society or- ganized to protect the interests of Spanish products.
 But he also directly represents the Span- ish association of ship owners and brokers, and he is president of the Spanish Colonial bank of Barcelona, the institution which pays the interest on the so-called Cuban bonds.
 In the commercial world of Spain he !s not less prominent than in her financial af- fairs. The marquis is president of the Credit Mercantile an organization of Span- ish coal mines, of the largest insurance company in Spain. of the Philippines To- bacco company, whose fields are in the town of Luzon of the Compania Transat- lantica of Barcelona, which carried the greater part of Spain's troops to Cuba, and vice president of the Northern railroad of Spain. Besides this, he is honorary presi- dent of the National Council of Laborers. corporations and of certain laborers' unions.
 Obviously Marquis De Comillas is pro- foundly interested in the results of the peace negotiations. While he has been dis tressed at the result of the war on the un- dertakings he represents, he is even more concerned about the consequences which might ensue upon a treaty of peace em- bodying terms that he deems oppressive to Spain.
 No Political Position
 The marquis has never held political position and thus far has declined to be interviewed lest his utterances be consid- cred as in some degree those of the Spanish government. When asked today by the correspondent of the Associated Press to make an exception to his rule of silence he consented on the distinct understanding that he spoke for himself only as a private individual, confessing frankly that he wishes to secure from the America people protection for the private interests he rep resents so far as the unavoidable results of war will allow of their protection lie said:
 ''It is perhaps presumption on my part to assume that the American people will att tach any importance to what l say Yet there are circumstances, even connected with this war, that leads me to hope shall have a respectful hearing. Spaniards are not unmindful of the noble and generous treatment Spanish prisoners of war have received at the hands of victorious army and navy at the moment of our defeat, and of subsequent generous care and treatment not less generous than that accorded to Lieutenant Hobson by Admiral Cervera
 "They have been touched by the courtesy and kindness with which Spanish officers have been receivd in America, and those almost dare to hope for the same just and generous treatment of Spanish financial, commercial and industrial interests. What ever antagonism may have been engen- dered in the minds of the American people toward the Spaniards as political enemies, I cannot believe any substantial portion of the American people will wish to see un- necessary hardship inflicted upon the vast number of Spaniards whose property and incomes may be destroyed the result of this war.
 Not Question of the Rich
 "It is not a question of the rich only, but of the small merchants and manufacturers, their employees and laborers. In the hope of securing some better understanding of these interests on the part of the American people-and thus better protection of those nterests--I feel bold enough to speak as to my views and wishes regarding them as affected by treaty of peace.
 "It may prove difficult for me to get who'll ly clear of political and governmental con- alterations, because in Spain commerce and industry are so closely all ed with the gov ernment This condition, doubtless, will be condemned in America. but the com mercial and industrial interests did not cre- ate the system and could prosper only by conforming to conditions existing in my country
 ''The Philippine question presents very different features from that of the West Indies Tn the Philippines Americans have no interest of considerable importance. The mt thara T, sending Admiral Dewey's squadron to the Malayan seas the Americans could have no reasonable aim except to divert the attention of the Madrid government and ot the meagre naval reserve forces of Spain. a piece of strategy which was highly of ficacious in breaking down the material and moral forces of Spain.
 But now that the desired effect has
 fcontinued on Second Page.l