Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-12-14
PEACE PAC1 SIGNED.
LA5ORS OF COMMISSIONERS
ARE AT AN END.
Americans Happy at the Successful
Conclusion of Their Mission, and
Spaniards Assume Pleasant Faces
Sudden Death of Gen. Garcia.

The treaty of peace between the United
States and Spain was signed in Paris Sat
urday evening The momentous s enc in
the historic drama of the nations was inn
pressively simple in all Of its details. 4
group of gentlemen gathered about ta-
BILE in a room overlooking the Seine and
signed their names TO duplicate copies of a
document which transfers the colonial em-
pire of one of the oldest countries of Eu-
rope 70 the youngest adult member OF the
family of nations.
There was no ceremony expressive Of
the momentous significance of the occa-
sion. The plain, undramatic record may
be set down in a few words. 1t was the
twenty-second session of the peace COM
mission, whose laborS had covered just ten
weeks. Its members gathered tardiiy at 4
O'Clock in the afternoon. Before all OF
them had assembled, in addition - the us
ual thirteen, several of the attaches of
each commission came to witness the exc
cution of the treaty drafted under SO
many difficulties.
1t was known that the engrossing of the
treaty was still unfinished. but the COM
missioners, after being photographed with
doubtful success occupied an hour in re-
yising and signing each protocol, which
is the diplomatic name for such records.
Then, as it was known that the engross-
ing was still unfinished, half an hour was
spent in chatting aud taking ten. About
$50 p. II. word came that at least an
hour more would be necessary to complete
the Spanish copy of the treaty, so recess
was taken until 7:30 O'Clock.
1t was nearly s o'clock before the impos-
ing parchments were fnally placed upon
| the large table around which the commits
si"uers sat in their usual order, the Span
/ iards on one side and the Americans on
the other. Each copy of the document
consisted of seventeen articles, in both
English nd Spanish, in parallel columns.
Interpreter Ferguson read aloud the text
of the treaty.
The only difference between the two
| copies was that the Spanish copy, in the
! usual preamble set forth first the names
| OF the Spanish commissioners, with list
of their titles and the past and present
| Offices they have held following each, and
| then the names of the American commis-
sioners. The American copy gave first the
| plain names of William r. Day, Cushman
X. Davis. William F. Frye, George Gray
and Whitelaw Reid, describing them sim
| ply as citizens of the United States"
| Then followed the names of the Spanish
| commissioners, with all of their titles and
| offices.
The reading of the treaty was interrupt
ed only once, when it was found that in
the article about the release of the Span
ish prisoners who are to be returned to
their homes, the English version used the
words, Cuba Porto Rico and the Island
of Guam and the Philippines" The Span
ish translation had it or instead Of of"
and there was n slight delay while this
trifling inaccuracy was corrected.
The American copy was handed to
Judge Day and the Spanish copy to Senor
Montero Rios. and the two presidents
signed their names simultaneously. The
| two treaties We're then passed quickly
down the respective sides of the table.
Senator Davis followed Judge Day, and
Senators Frye and Gray and Mr.. Reid
signed afterward in the order named At
ter Mr.. Reid had signed Mr.. Ferguson
took the American copy to Senior Rios and
brought back the Spanish copy to Judge
| Day, when the documents were passed
down the table again. the Americans sign
ing beneath the English version and the
| Spaniards beneath the Spanish version W
each case. The secretaries then PREPARED
the seals and each commissioner affixed
one opposite his name. The whole opera
ton occupied only about fifteen minutes.
Senior Montero Rios said few words
expressive Of his personal esteem of the
Americans and thanks on behalf of his
colleagues for the Americans courtesy,
and Judge Day responded in two or three
cordial sentences. The commissioners
then shook hands and the work Of the
| Spanish American peace conference was
| G,,sr