The times., 1898-11-05
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1898.
A welcome spanish courtesy.

We are greatly edited by yesterdays
news from Paris The shock of the
Spanish refusal to consider our demand
for the Philippines. as being matter
quite outside of the terms and meaning
of the protocol, can be borne with pa
tience, in view of the great considera-
ton and courtesy shown by our con-
querors in conceding time, until next
Tuesday. in which to decide what We
are to do next
As stated in The Times yesterday
morning, the Administration has been
exceedingly desirous to get a postpone
ment of the climax to beyond the cleo
ton, and is understood to have in
Etructed Mr.. Day to use every effort in
that direction. He seems to have been
successful
People who are unfamiliar with the
inside history of the peace negotiations
will naturally be surprised that our
Commissioners should appear as sub
servient to the views and convenience
of their Spanish opponents, as they
have been since the beginning of their
mission. Under normal conditions they
covered by their instructions. would
have given the Spaniards reasonable
time to say whether they would or
would not submit to them, and, in the
latter event, would have bowed politely
to Senor Rios and his associates and
declared the meeting adjourned sine die.
That they have not acted in that way
is quite inconsistent with the latest Ad-
ministration contention that it has been
all along determined TO keep the whole
Philippine archipelago. 1t is, on the
other hand, entirely consistent with the
actual attitude. of the Administration as
stated clearly in the protocol, and ad-
mitted by Republican leaders close to
the White House. up to the time Presi-
dent Mckinley returned from his West
ern stumping tour.
The American Commission would not
have been as submissive to Spanish ar
rogance if its own position were clear
and its action unrestrained by antece-
dent facts and Administration engage
ments with Spain. We shall hear more
on this branch of the subject when the
election is over, and Sagasta has no
further reason TO protect the interests
of the Republican party. Day, Gray,
Whitelaw Reid and the rest of them
would be acting very differently to the
way they are and have been acting for
two weeks, If they did not know how
much of truth there Is in the Spanish
assertion that the full possession of the
Philippines is an afterthought on the
Of ha int tro md haf
when the protocol was signed, there
was distinct understanding between
Sagasta, Cambon, Hanna, Edmunds.
Ireland and Day, accepted by the Pres
ident, that the city of Manila and the
Island of Luzon were to constitute the
maximum of our demands in the Phil
ippines.
1t is only because the Executive pro-
poses and the nation disposes that
there is the slightest idea of slipping
out of that arrangement today. Sagas-
ta's mistake, and his only one in the
premises, is in believing that he could
expect the Administration to carry out
deal of the sort concocted in advance
of the protocol after its exposure and
rejection by the Congressional and pop
ular sentiment of the United States.
The mistake of the Administration
was In thinking that the real character
of the contract made with the bond
syndicators and the Vatican influence
in advance of the protocol could be kept
secret, and that the American people
would submit to the loss of the great
Eastern empire won for them by Ad-
miral Dewey. without any very effec-
tive protest or resistance.
All of the high contracting parties to
that deal should now realize the fact
that 1t is dead beyond hope of resurrec-
tion. and that the stern logic of fate has
released each one of the conspirators
from whatever promises or engage
ments he may have made. 1t would be
~ impossible for the Spanish govern
ment to hold the Administration to the