The record-union., 1898-10-19
Spaniards Seeking for Sympathy Of
the Powers
In Hopes That They May be Relieved Of
Paying Bonded Indebtedness.
Urge That the United States Should
Assume the Ob1igations-Amer
leans Insist That the Money
Raised Was Not Applied to the
Requirements OF Interests of
the Island.

the Island.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-It is hoped,
though hardly expected, by the officials
here that yesterdays proceedings be-
fore the Peace Commission at Paris
marked the high tide of Spanish op-
position, and that from now on the
Spanish Commissioners will retire
gradually from their extreme position.
1t is recognized that their attack upon
the American position was marked by
the greatest cleverneSS and adrOitEess.
The opinion prevails that the ami
mating purpose of the SpaniardS is to
work upon the Sympathies of other
European nations, while appealing to
the interests not only of the holders
of Cuban bonds, but also to the holders
of purely Spanish securities, which
would be affected by sympathy.
The Spanish argument directed to
showing that the United States must
assume sovereignty, else the island
would be left without legal status, is
interpreted as being a distinct bid for
the Intervention of the foreign bond
holders. The latter, according TO the
Spanish hope, might be expected to
call upon their own Governments TO aid
the Spanish cause by protesting to the
United States against the large val
ues represented by the Cuban bonds
owned by their own citizens. Consid-
erations based upon equities like these
have at times had great weight with
international tribunals, but back of it
all is apparent in the eye of the Off
Gals here a purpose to influence not
so much the American Peace Commits
SionerS as the Government at Wash
ington directly.
There has never been any question
here as to the status of municipal and
other local obligations based upon Gu
ban assets. AS the proceeds of bonds
issued by municipalities have presum-
ably gone to benefit the localities, it
has never been contended here for an
instant that these obligations should
be repudiated. Whatever may be the
outcome Of the negotiations at Paris
relative to the general debt of CUBA.
the bonds of the municipalities and
such securities will retain their va
lidity.
The proposition alleged to have been
made yesterday by the Spanish Com
missioners to surrender to the United
States the entire Philippine group,
rather than that Spain should be neld
responsible for the Cuban debt, did
not take the officials here by surprise
1t was recognized Immediately as only
another phase of the Spanish effort to
connect the Philippines and Cuba in
some way in the negotiations. The
American Commissioners at the be-
ginning refused to permit any such
association, holding that each subject
treated in the protocol must be dealt
witt separately and in order, and so
far as the State Department knows.
they have not changed their views in
this matter since
While il is realized in official circles
that the negotiations at Paris have
reached what probably will be the
most critical point to be passed over
until the commission is face to face
with the question as to what dspoSi-
tion shall be made of the Philippine
Islands, there is an abiding confidence
that the Spanish Commissioners Will
not oblige the Americans to resort to
extreme measures, and that negotia-
tions will proceed with greater expedi-
tion from this point
THE CUBAN DEBT.
PARIS, Oct 1S.-The "Gaulois' re-
views yesterdays session of the joint
Peace Commissions, and. referring to
the delay caused by differences in the
language spoken by the Commission
ers, adds:
But, according to the Spaniards, the
main cause of the difficulty encounter
ed in the negotiations is the lack Of
conciliation in the attitude of the
American Commission. 1t is known
In regard to Porto Rico and Cuba that
the articles of the protocol are abso-
lutely positive-Spain comedies Porto
Rico to the United States, and relin-
quishes and abandons sovereignty over
Cuba. These two points are definitely
settled. and are not open to discussion.
Besides, the Spaniards make it point
OF honor to scupulously abide by their
engagements toward their conquerors.
THE question of the Cuban debt re-
mains. Upon which Power should the
onerous obligation of guaranteeing the
debt rest? Here is where the two COM
missions differ in their views. and
neither is inclined to yield. The Span
iards agree on the following lines.
When a Power annexes territory, il
is implied it assumes all the obligations
previously of such territory. 1t is III
ternational law. sanctioned by usage,
and which always has been complied
with. Thus. when. France annexed
Savoy. She assumed all the debts con
tracted by the latter while still an
Italian province. Lastly, they remind
their opponents that Cuba is virtually
the key of the Gulf of Mexico, a
strategic position of the first order II
the United States and an immense ad-
vantage. which calls for some sacrifice
upon the part of the Americans.
ITO this the latter replied at first
that they could not listen to any dis
cussion of the matter of the debt, be-
ing under formal instructions from
their Government. But on the Span
ish Commission insisting, and in the
presence of its very firm attitude, not
that they entertain the intention OF
yielding TO Spain's injunction, Iney
continue to argue against the Spanish
position. These arguments may be
briefly summed up as follows:
..,The Americans insist upon the fact
that the money raised by the Cuban
/. loans was not applied to the require