The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-22

WASHINGTON. Nov. GA well known
member OF the cabinet. In an interview this
afternoon Immediately after the announce
msnt Of the breaking off OF peace negotia-
tons. made the following statement as TO
the effect OF the discrimination OF nego-
tiat.ons:
THE action Of the Spanish commission
ers will not affect the purpose of the Amer
lean government. Our government will
still assert precisely what IL has claimed.
and IL will proceed TO carry these claims
into execution. DO not believe there viii
be any concession on one hand and that
Is from the American side. nor actual re-
sistaEce on the other. 1t viii simply re-
main for the American government to hold
what IL has proposed TO hold. for Il is now
practically in possession, and all that re-
mains is TO make this possession an actual
fact While the Spanish government de-
cllned 10 acQulesce, il cannot interpose any
obstacle. and the only result viii be that
X viii be compelled later 10 recognize what
IL refuses 10 acquiesce in AT present. l say
this on the assumption that the notification
given means really a rupture OF nsgotia-
tions. and not simply movement. TO take
them UP in new way. One significant
effect is that this action now relieves this
government Of the whole question of COM
pensation for the Philippines.
This effecTuaiy wipes out all obligation
to make any payment Of moneys 10 the
Spanish government. No payment was
ever considered by the United States gov
ernment beyond the moderate sum. which
will not name, but which was specified In
the Instructions given 10 eur commissions
ers. Now even this Is not 20 be considered
as necessary. and the Spanish government
cannot make a protest hereafter on that
score.
'In some respects the rupture is OF dis
ftrrf ADVANTAGE n This
lieves Ii OF the feeling OF obligation 10 take
certain steps such as the payment Of money
contemplated, and 1t Is free now TO act
unhampeFed.
This government has all to gain Spain
has all to lose. Spain has signed the pro-
ticol and in now bound to the extent OF
its provisions. We will proceed to exc
cute H. Spain can offer no material OBJ
struction to our plan Of execution. Her
troops already have evacuated Porto REQ
and none are left on that island. The
evacuation Is going on IN Cuba and must
be continued, for IL Is very unlikely that
the Spanish government would repudiate
the protocol. The evacuation was specified
in that document, and she certainly could
no. offer any forcible resistance In those
quarters.
TIP TO this time the possession Of tho
Philippines has been in dispute In Paris.
The action OF today removes all ground for
dispute. for now we Will take complete
possession OF the islands and give notice
to all comers practically. Hands on Or
ders will gu forward 10 our military and
naval commanders I'm charge in those ISL
auds 10 push forward and other Islands
than that OF Lu2on Will be occupied.
''it will not be necessary 70 occupy any
thing like all OF them. probably Panay.
Cebu and two three others will be all
included In the plan of occupation and
possession. We Will deal with the insur-
gents but do not anticipate any serious
difficulty with than. Neither will the eS-
tension of possession throughout the main
islands of the archipelago involve any Ee-
ropean complications. as has been suggest
ed 1t Is barely possible that not more than
500 additional troops viii be necessary
for the purpose and these can be readily
dispatched. Transports can be gotten In
hand without much delay. and our forces
could soon be In possession Of all the
islands We care 70 take. Meantime the Ore
gon and io4a are en route 10 the Pacific.
and WI be added TO our forces there.
whether the casol!nes or any portion
Of them viii be taken I cannot say. | seri-
ously doubt IL that Will be undertaken.
There are rvaSeT5s tAat suggest themselves
as ground for this opinion
i; the British French. German and 9TH
er foreign establishments the report from
Paris that senior Mon'eFe Rios. president
Of the Spanish commissioners. had refused
70 continue the negotiations was looked up
on az presenting a sertous crisis. although
the effect % this movement was viewed
from different standpoints.
At the French embassy. where the peace
negotiations were snsugurated, VI. THE
bagt charge d'affalrex IN the absence os
NJ Cannon. said no word had come of the
reported action and beyond expression Of
profound regret a. this unfortunate turn
ot affairs he would not discuss the situa-
tion, saying IL has reached "A point where
the greatest circumspectlon was required
throughout diplomatic quarters the view
prevailed that Nonfefo RIGS spoke for the
commission ana for Spain. and that the
only Interpretation 70 be pu, epon his
course vas that Spain had determined 20
break Of the negcdatfons. taking the
chances OF a renewal If war.
By such q COURSE ], was pointed ooh.
Spain could lose little more than she was
t!ous. ss cgsEsa and Porto E!c0 had already
been lost, the Philippines had been de-
!nanded and tne bulk Of the colonial debts
was Jeff for Spain 10 iiquieste. while she
doubtless continued IN The hope fha, some
of the foreign powers would come 20 her
relief. The leading siplenatic officials here
agreed thai fn tsfs hope spain " n he dis
| appointed. !, Is said the powers have go