The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-25
DONS MUST CEASE DELAYS.
CUBAN DEBT QUESTION HAS PASS
ED BEYOND RECALL.

ED BEYOND RECALL.
Americans Instructed to Speak
Plainly to the Spanish COmmis-
siOners-They May Prefer IL Re-
sumption of Hostilities to the
Great Financial Burden-The Phil
ippine Question TO BE Considered
at Onee-seIectiOn of Ladrones
Made and Confirmed.
Washington, oct. 24.-It is expected that
at to-day's meeting of the peace commits
sIoners in Paris the American commits
sioners delivered to their adversaries
something very closely approaching an I'LL
timatum. The President is satisfied at
last that the Spanish commissioners are
purely delaying the negotiations. This
is the belief OF the American commission
also.
The time has now come to cut off all
false pleas and to come directly to the
main issue left open by the protocol, name
ly, the disposition of the Philippines.
Up to this point the entire time of the
commissioners has been consumed in re-
peated efforts on the part of the Spanish
commissioners to force the Cuban debt
question upon the attention of the joint
commission against the firm opposition of
the American commissioners.
The latter have stated as positively as
they could that under no circumstances
would they assume sovereignty over
Cuba, involving any assumption of the
Cuban debt and the time has now come
when. in the opinion of the American com
missioners the Spaniards must be made to
understand that this answer is final and
conclusive.
So far as the American commissioners,
while preserving a firm attitude have
treated the Spaniards with the utmost
courtesy and consideration, allowing fire.
quent postpopements of the work of the
joint commission to accommodate the
Spaniards, but now, probably at to-days
meeting, without departing from their
courteous treatment of the Spaniards, the
American commissioners will find it in
eumbent upon them TO speak very plain
ly as to the determination of the United
States government to regard this matter
of the Cuban debt and Cuban sovereignty
as passed over and beyond recall
Paris, Oct. M.-The American peace
commissioners were in session to-day from
10 a. m to almost D. m, when they re-
paired to the joint session. They took
with them a carefully prepared written
answer to the amended proposals of The
Spaniards regarding Cuba. 1t is under
stood that the American reply is, to a GER
tain degree, in the nature of a proposal.
The consideration by the commissioners
of the Porto Rico and Ladrones question
has now been merged with The Cuban
question, and all the points involved are
being carefully carried forward to a simul-
taneous conclusion
When this has been arrived at the Phil
ippine question will be taken up. OF
course, there is a probability Of a dsa-
greement and the Spaniards If the Amer
lean commissioners decide not 10 assume
any portion of the Cuban Indebtedness,
may announce their unwillingness to pro-
ceed any further with negotiations based
upon the protocol.
The Spaniards may prefer a resumption
of hostilites to acquiescence in the Ameri-
can refusal to share their financial bur-
den. The Americans, however, have ind
mated to the Spaniards the possibility that
Spain at some future period be able to
deal with an independent government 1e-
garding the assuming of the provincial
and municipal portions of the Cuban debt.
which is estimated to have been $4,000 =
O00 before the last rebellion in Cuba broke
out and $500l000 600 contracted since 1895.
But should independent Cuba, as she
doubtless would refuse to assume more
than her proportion of the debt, based
on actual betterments in Cuba, and only
in the case of obligations contracted pre-
vious to 1895, Spain would be compelled
to appeal to her people and confront them
with practically seven-eights of the debt
contracted since. Spain would also be
compelled to declare her inability to meet
her obligations and this, at present seems
to the Spaniards better alternative Than
to accept the United States refusal to
share the Cuban debt.
Finally, it Is said that there are persons
high in the Spanish counsels who claim
10 DtlleNe LHdt ppdiu WOuiu rather SUD-
nit dumbly and helplessly to decimation
or dismemberment than confront this con-
tinued financial burden. One course would
leave her pride unsullied, 1T is claimed.
and the other Is regarded as doubtful, if
not Impossible of adoption within the
boundaries of national solvency.
Spain, however will not break Off the
present negotiations before having pro-
posed that the United States share half
the insular debt which, in such a propo-
sidon, may be placed at S7000oO,O0Os Il e
interest rate to be reduced 10 per cent,
which Spain may hold. practically reduces
her share to $116,O0O,000 the portion Jro-
posed 10 be borne by the United States
or guaranteed thereby.
Such a proposition would not be accept
ed by the United States, either directly or
in behalf of Cuba.
The session of the joint commission be-
gan at O'Clock in the afternoon and end