The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-21
PLAIN TERMS TO SPAIN.
Our Commissioners Will Present q
Practical Ultimatum,
spANIARDs MUST YIELD OR FIGHT

Our Government willing 10 Pay n
Reasonable Amount, Perhaps S2O,-
OO0.OOO, For the Evacuation of the
Philippines, But We Hold Them
Paris, Nov. 21.-The Spanish peace
commissioners have been notified that
the United States commissioners will
be ready to treat with them this after
noon. Unless the Spaniards have an
adequate reason for further delay the
two COMMISSIONS will Join in the most
important meeting thus far held.
The American commissioners, in a
written communication, will declare
that the third article Of the protocol.
regarding the Philippines, Is capable
of only one fair construction, that 10
arbitration Is needed to elucidate its
terms, and that the United States cam
not admit any other power to figure
here purely as q lexicologist. They will
maintain that the two commissions
are charged to determine whether Spain
or the United States shall in future
own the Philippines. This will be ac-
companied by a clear declaration that
the United States will possess the Phil
ippines.
Following this declaration the Amerl-
can commissioners will lay before the
SpaniardS two alternatives. First, to
accept sum of money from the Uni
ted States and to cede and evacuate
the Philippines. Second, to lose the
Philippines to the United States by con.
quest with the possibility of other ter
ritorlal losses to indemnify the United
States for the added expense Of the
conquest.
This communication may not be for
mally designated as an ultimatum. but
1t will lack naught of the conclusive
ness indicated by that word. This will
be so plain that the Spanish commits
sioners will scarcely haggle for more
money on the first alternative nor
cherish any doubt Of American action
under the second, should the first be
declined
No one here. except the American
commissioners. knows how much will
be rendered Spain as the cheapest and
most humane way of settling the diff
ficulty. She is exceedingly anxious t.
escape the Philippine debt. and pos
sibly the sum to be offered may be de-
termined by an analysis of that debt,
which consists of 100000, 900 in bonds.
on which she realized $36. .O00,0 900. OF
the latter amount she is believed to
have expended some 100000 or $11,-
00O. 900 in fighting the United States and
q part in attempting to quell the Phil
ippine insurrection. A reasonable
guess at the sum for tender would be
100000 900. though it pay fall below
that.
The Cuban question may come up
again today. The American commits
sioners had thought the discussion on
that point finished, but the Spanish
commissioners are reported to have de-
clared last week that the mortgages
imposed by Spain on the Cuban. as well
as on the Philippine revenues. must
not be impaired or questioned. This
would compel the American commis-
sioners. soon-and probably today-to
demand whether Spain means to repu-
diate the plain compact of the pro-
tocol or relinqush sovereignty over
and title to Cuba. Three weeks ago
the Spanish commissioners accepted
the Cuban article in the protocol with
out conditions, save that its embodi-
ment In the treaty should depend only
upon an agreement here on all the
articles in the protocol.
Recently however, Spain's represent
atives have said that the Cuban mat
ter had been only temporarily passed
and was still in allegiance.