The herald., 1898-12-06
Associated Press Special Wire,

Commission had long conference begin
ming at 10 o'clock and only had brief recess
for lunch before going to the Foreign Offic'
to meet the Spanish Commissioners at
O'Clock pm.
The Americans apparently had changed
the form if not the substance OF some O.
their demands as a result OF deliberations
during the past three days.
Secretary Moore of the United States
Commission was engaged far into the night
in revising the draft of the treaty of peace
The American Commissioners say it is pos
sble, though improbable, that today's joint
session will settle all the open questions il
substance, leaving only the wording OF the
treaty for discussion.
The Joint commission was in session fol
four hours. Much of the discussion con
cerned details as to the guaranteeing OF th'
rights Of Spanish citizens in the ceded col
onies The debate was occasionally ener
getic and the Spaniards on adjourning ap
peared to be detected. Secretary Ojeda OF
the Spanish commission when questioned
after the meeting as to the progress made
answered eXctedly:
81 am almost mad. cannot talk. We
are making progress.
The American commissioners declined to
say anything further than that the progress
made was satisfactory.
The Spanish commissioners, however, re-
ceived authority to bind their government
on certain matters, but there are yet i'm
portant questions on which their instruc
tions are unsatisfactory. and it is likely that
many OF the details involved in the charge
of sovereignty in the Spanish colonies will
be left for settlement in the regular diplo-
matte process when relations between the
two governments are resumed.
II MAY CONTAIN
The history OF the document which will
certify the passing OF the oldest colonial
power in the world and the advent of the
newest, was epitomized by Judge Day this
afternoon in a single sentence:
"A peace treaty can contain anything
which the victors put into it.
The Americans had listened for hours
with their customary patience to the tech
nicalities convoked by the Sraniards with
their customary shrewdness and persistency
against every proposal making 1Or tie as
melnberment OF their empire. Darkness
had come on and the liveried attendants
mobilized by the French authorities haG
placed a tiny lamp at the elbow of each
commissioner.
FRYE STALKS HOME
Snator Frye, whose unconcealed contempt
for diplomatic qubblings, excites the as
tonishment of the punctilous Castihans,
had stalked home, his patience exhausted.
The burden of the Spanish arguments was
that matters outside the bare cesson and
evacuation of the conquered territories
which the Americans proposed to cover by
treaty, were beyond the legitimate and cus-
tomary scope OF a peace treaty. Behind this
bulwark Senor Montero Rios, president of
The Spanish commission. fortified himself,
hombardng his opponents with a supply
of arguments and precedents which in
spired the freely expressed admiration of
the Americans.
DAYS SUMMARY
Finally, Judge Day summarized the Amer
lean position in the foregoing memorable
utterance 1t was given and taken in good
spirit, and from that moment the proceed
ings were entirely friendly. The session ac-
complished much. Eight open questions
were canvassed. seven being practically set
tied without noteworthy friction.
The commissioners decline to say what
conclusion was reached, but the bargain for
q coaling station in the Carolines was not
cemented, and according to present pros
poets, it is likely to fail. The temper OF the
Americans in this matter Is: We made You
off iulo 1-n
it or leave it. The Spaniards seem dis
posed to leave it. The Americans do not
regard it as prize which they can demand
as one of the natural fruits of the war; while
the whole policy of the Spaniards is to con
fine the nations as narrowly as possible to
the letter of the protocol signed in Washing
ton and to exclude all eXtraneous matters.
The result OF this policy may be the lcav-
ing of many details involved in the charge
OF sovereignty over the various possessions
TO settlement by the regular diplomatic
processes when normal relations between
the two governments nave beenresumed.
THE SPANISH STATUS
The Spanish commissioners insisted at
the previou, meeting that the settlement of
the statu. of the Spanards who remain in
the colonies was problem so closely akin
to cession that it could not be logically
separated from the matter, but should be
considered next to the question OF cession
and before such matters as coaling stations
and religious toleration. They appealed to
the Americans, having gained all the maiot
points, to be generous on the minor ones
Accordingly the American commissioners,
as foreshadoWcd by the correspondent OF
the Associated Press, were conciliatory to-
day on the order of procedure as to tho
status of Spaniards remaining in the lost
colonies.
The Spanish commissioners continue
fighting with tooth and nail to procure
every possible pccuniary and other conces
sion. The Americans had already prom
ised to guarantee the return of the Spanish
prisoners in the hands of the Philippines
Today Senor Montero Rios proposed that
the United States should pay the expense,
of shipping them to Spain, arguing with his
customary ingenuity that this was the duty
OF The Americans as a matter of course
The Americans thought the request un-
reasonable and "A good deal Of time was con
sumed i'll discussing the question.
OTHER MOOT POINTS
Another problem entailing long debate
was the disposition to be made of the Span
ish munitions of war in number of military
posts outside of Manila which the Ameri-
cans have not captured The Spanish COM