Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-03
SPAIN BACKS down.
Spanish Commissioners Accept 0ui
View About the Cuban Debt.
SUBJECT OF The PHILIPPINE DEBT,


Paris, Oct 2S.-The American com
missioners have firmly declined
to assume for the United States thu
entire or joint responsibility for the
Spanish financial conditions, and the
Spanish commissioners have finally
abandoned the effort and have agreed
that the Cuban article Of the protocol
shall, without conditions, have place
in the ultimate treaty of peace. II
was not until Monday that they be-
came actually convinced that the
Americans, who had from the outset
made refusal to accept the Cuban
debt, meant exactly what they said.
In spite Of the fact that the Spanish
commissioners had doubts OF succeed
ing, their hope Of SO doing has been SC
keen and their contention has been SO
vigorously prosecuted that the final
conviction Of their inability to win
their point brought the Spaniards such
ashock and depression that there were
grave doubts as TO the continuance OF
the negotiations.
In support Of these statements is the
fact that Senior Montoro Rios, after
Mondays session and on Tuesday,
would have resigned the presidency Of
the Spanish peace commission had he
not believed that his doing SO may
have grievously shaken, II it had not
unseated, Senior Sagasta's government
From this standpoint, If for no other
reason, Senior Montoro Rios re-
tanned his position, and at yes.
terday's session, acting under
the conviction arrived at on Mon.
day, the Spaniards announced that
they would forego further argument
on the Cuban debt and agreed that,
practically in the terms and absolutely
in the spirit Of the protocol, the article
about Cuba should go forward into the
final treaty. Thus Spain agrees to re.
linquish sovereignty over and claim
to Cuba without either terms or con.
ditions
All differences, II any existed, re.
garding Porto Rico and the selection
Of the island Of Guam, were also ar.
ranged BY q mutual understanding,
and the commissioners found them.
selves well nigh touching the Philip
pine question, which will DO taken up
next week.
THE PHILIPPINE DEBT.
Washington, Oct rs. The one con.
cession as to Cuba that our commits.
sioners at Paris can make will be to
guarantee for the United States that
life and property shall be secure in
Cuba. The responsibility the United
States will assume only as to such time
as stable governmentshall be formed
and operative in Cuba. There will be
no perpetual guarantee on this score.
The American commissioners, among
other things, have been looking into
the subject Of the Philippine debt,
about which there is much ignorance
at this end of the line. 1t is unlikely
that the same rule will be applied to
that debt as was insisted upon relative
to the Cuban debt. In other words, If
the United States anneXes the Philip
pines, which seems now to be the
logicsl outcome of the situation.
It might be reasonably contended
that at least so much of the
debt as represented moneys ex-
pended for the Improvement of
the island should pass to the United
States with the title. The situation
is regarded as materially different
from that in Cuba, where the United
States gains nothing substantial, for,
with the annexation of the Philip
pines, we should acquire a territory
almost as large as the British isles,
with teeming population of more
than 100000 people. 1t will be for
the American commissioners to ar.
range the details Of the transfer of
the Philippines to the United States,
as it is expressly stipulated in the pro-
tocol that the disposition of the Phil
ippines shall be left to the commission,