Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-13
GRAVE DIFFICULTIES.
PARIS PAPERS EXPRESS ANXIETY
AS TO PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
COMMISSIONERS VERY ANIMATED
Americans Consider That No ni,-
cussion f. Possible on PrincinIs,
Underlying Profocoi-Commis,lop.
ers All Entertained by Figaro

PARIS. October 12.-The America,
Peace Commission held a session TO-DAY
but as usual the subjects under copslds.
ration were not disclosed.
According TO the Gaulois, the ioin, ,,,.
ting yesterday of the peace commisslo,
was devoted to an examination OF iba
solution which IL is possible 20 give =,
two questions In the protocol
The Philippine question. the GauloIs
adds, was discussed incidentally m,
United States seeking to impose a svs.
tenn Of compensations, under which the
United States would claim. It Is said tho
entire group Of the Philippine Islands
and assume their debt. provided Spala
guarantees the Cuban debt As 10 n.
Spaniards IL further appears, they wosj
like the United States TO assume m,
Cuban debt, and 10 surrender 70 Spaia
all the war material I'm Cuba and Porto
Rico.
DISCUSSION ANIMATED
The discussion among the commission
ers yesterday, still according 10 the Gan.
lois. was very animated. Judge Day. ne
president OF the American commission.
and Senior Montero Rios the president
OF the Spanish commission, having 70
ceived precise instructions from their !e-
spective governments, the American
commissioners consider that no discus.
sion is possible on the principles them
selves, which in a considerable measure
may have served as the basis OF the pro.
tocol. This first preliminary, according %
them, while being merely Of a pr0ys-
ional nature should be vigorously Oh.
served. They add that, "when Spain was
overturned, at the conclusion Of peace.
her power In Cuba was crushed absolute
ly; and, in consequence, Spain no loHgs-
has the right TO occupy herself about the
destiny of the Antilles Island" TO thesl
arguments the Spaniards, the Gluo.3
also says, reply that the protocol VS.
signed at a moment so critical that in
the face of such an imperious necessity
1t can be considered as being ratified by
the sovereign free wish OF the nation. In
this fact. they conclude. exists a snfi-
Client reason to allow Of their Monaco
ceptance as definite regarding the pre-
liminary conventions relating 10 cuba.
AIOh w ILL ARANR As-fhf
THE arrival, therefore. at an under
standing" says the Gaulois. "offers grave
difficulties, and one asks with anxiety
how the negotiations will eventually ter
inmate"
In diplomatic circles here II Is declared
that the conjectures of the newspapers
on the problems before the peace COM
missions are not justified by facts. lt s
added that the relations between the t@'
commissions are I'm no way so delicate as
the newspapers indicate.
FIGARO ENTERTAINMENT
The American commission az O'Clock
to-day engaged in its first function oli-
side of purely diplomatic lines. lA'
Figaro, at the hall OF its own bIi.dins'
entertained the members OF both COM
missions with a stage performance "a
which Coduelln, Loie Fuller. and others
took part, and which was witnessed by
the Spanish Ambassador, Senior Leon
Castillo; the United States Ambassad'I
General Horace Porter, and about wv
hundred representatives OF the best ftil.
society, i'm addition 20 the members OK
both peace commissions.