The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-11-21
PLAIN TERMS
FOR SPAIN
Our Commissioners Will Present a
Practical Ultimatum.
sPANIARDs MUST YIELD OR FIGHT

Our Government willing to Pay a
Reasonable Amount, Perhaps co.
600, 900, For the Evacuation of the
Philippines, But we VIII 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
written communication, will declare
that the third article of the protocol,
regarding the Philippines, is capable
of only one fair construction, that no
arbitration is needed to elucidate Its
terms, and that the United States can
not admit any other power to figure
here purely as a 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 Ameri-
can commissioners will lay before the
! Spaniards two alternatives. First, to
accept a 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
ritorial losses to indemnify the United
| States for the added expense of the
! conquest.
ha
mally designated as an ultimatum, bu
1t will lack naught of the conclusive.
ness indicated by that word. This vii
be so plain that the Spanish commits
soners 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
fculty. She is exceedingly anxious to
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 $40, 1000 900 in bonds,
on which she realized $36, 1000, 900. OF
the latter amount she is believed to
| have expended some $4,000 900 or $11,-
600 900 in fighting the United States and
part in attempting to quell the Phil
ippine lnsurrection. A reasonable
| guess at the sum for tender would he
$4,000, ,OOO though it may 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 commits
sioners sOon-and probably today-tc
demand whether Spain means to repu,
I diate the plain compact of the pro.
e tocol or relinquish sovereignty ovel
5 and title to Cuba. Three weeks ag,
/ the Spanish commissioners accepted
S the Cuban article in the protocol with
out conditions, save that its embodi
= ment in the treaty should depend onl
Q upon an agreement here on all tn
j; articles in the protocol.
4 Recently, however Spain's represent
9 atives have said that the Cuban mat
Q ter had been only temporarily passe
Q and was still in allegiance.