The age-herald., 1898-10-20
Request Time to Communicate With
 Their Government at Madrid.
THE MOVE IS SIGNIFICANT
American Firmness Has Trumphed Ow astian Diplomacy and It Is Now Left to Spain s7~y Whether Our Demands Are to bf, a.nted
 or HostIites Rem sS

| lane . her fnesse. They have fallen brol SS S her feet. The wall of American purpo- nd mutual compact has proved not only apparent, but local, and now Span- ish commissioners give pause to their at- tack on the Cuban angle and ask time to assure themselves of their previous mis- judgment and also to reform their lines or arrange new ones.
 To Communicate With Madrid
 The assigned reason for today's request for delay is believed to have been to allow an interchange of communications with Madrid, and to formulate a final attitude on the Cuban matter. This attitude of the Spaniards to be developed on Friday will be watched with no little interest. Their alternatives are few but pregnant They ac- cede to the American attitude themselves, assume the Cuban debt and go forward to consider the next protocol point of Porto Rico and the choice by the United States of an island in the Ladrone group, or they may at this juncture formally ask for ar bitration, or as extremity is not likely, may retire from further negotiations.
 The tone during the last four days of the Spanish and French press is significant of widened condolences by the Spanish as to the attitude they have assumed in the ne- gotiations here. and the recurring assur- ances of Spain's desire for arbitration may have had meaning. The Spaniards may not have sought to promote sympathy, but had d which to set up plea to Europe to prevent what 1t is sought to present as her ravish-- ment, the surface indications could not have been more favorably disposed for that purpose than they have been.
 Held Brief Session The American commissioners, after dis patching their acquiescence in the delay, held brief meeting, probably to make a formal record of the deferring of the joint session fixed for today.
 The Americans yesterday held a brief session having no reference to the negotia- tions, and the brevity of these meetings and other indications warrant the deduc- ! ton that the American attitude is well 1 formed and that the commission is thor l oughly advised on all the points and the 1 features which 1t is possible to foresee. l The amount of information acqrired. by l the Americans since their arrival is large They have examined old residents of the Philippine islands and the information and testimony from this aLd other sources is valuable.
 distinguished Roman Catholic church. man from New Orleans is now in this city, in connection, it is said, with the interests of the Roman Catholic church in Cuba.
 The holders of Spanish securities have not been inactive, and it is not unlikely that the American commission has been called upon to consider a written presentment of figures, facts and peadngs in behalf of those interests.
 Were 1t not that the spirit and attitude of the American commission are so d'gni- fed it might be said that they are now holding the fort, and invite attacks. Their personality and procedure, however, is such as to make it fair to say while not counting attack, they fear none.