The record-union., 1898-10-25
Still the Contesting Cues ton Be-
fore the Peace Commissioners.
May Result in Spain Breaking of All Me-
gotiations.
Reported That at Fridays Meet
ing Of the Joint Commission the
American Members Will Defln-
itely Insist Upon the Annexa-
alton Of the Philippine Islands
to the United States.


| PARIS, Oct 4.-The American Peace
| Commissioners We're in session from 10
a. m. until almost = p. m, when they
repaired to the joint session. They took
with them a carefully prepared written
answer to the proposals of the Span
iards regarding Cuba. 1t is under
stood that the Americal reply is, to a
certain degree, in the nature of COM
promise proposal.
| The consideration by the Commits
soners of Porto Rico and the Ladrone
Islands has now been merged with the
Cuban question, and all the points in
volved are being carried forward to a
simultaneous conclusion.
| When this has been arrived at the
Philippine question will be taken up.
OF course, there is a possibility of dis
agreement, and the Spaniards, if the
American Commissioners decide not to
assume any portion of the Cuban in
debtedness, may announce their unwill-
| ingneSS to proceed any further with ne
| gotiations based upon the protocol.
Should the Spanish decide to do this,
it will be because they wish to excite
the pity of their creditors and of other
nations. The Cortes may then be asked
to indorse their action. In fact, the
| Spaniards may even prefer a resump-
ton of hostilities to acquiescence in
| the American refusal to share their
financial burden.
! The Americans, however have init
mated to the Spaniards the possibility
that Spain may at some future period
be able to deal with an independent
! Government regarding the assumption
of the provincial and municipal por-
| tons of the Cuban debt, which is esti-
mated to have been $3.50, 100000 be-
fore the last rebellion broke out, and
$500, OO0000 contracted since 1898.
But. should independent Cuba as she
| doubtless would, refuse to assume more
than her portion of the debt based on
actual betterments in Cuba, and only,
even in this case, of obligations con-
tracted previous to 1895, Spain would
be compelled to appeal to her people
and confront them with practically
! severn ighths Of the debt contracted
since. Spain would also be compelled
to declare her inability to meet her
obligations, and this, at present, seems
co the Spaniards a more bitter alterna-
tive than to accept the United States
refusal to share the Cuban debt, with
all that this means, the idea being that
the Spaniards would be able to call the
attention Of their creditors to their un-
| yielding though fruitlesS efforts in their
| behalf
Finally, it is said that there are per-
sons high in the Spanish councils who
claim to believe that Spain would
rather submit dumbly and helplessly to
defamation or ACKNOWLEDGMENT than
confront this continual financial bur-
den. One course would leave her pride
unsullied, it is claimed, and the other
is regarded as doubtful, If not impos-
sible, of adoption within the boundaries
of national solvency.
Spain, however, will not break off the
present negotiations before having pro-
posed that the United States share half
the inSular debt, which, in such a prop
osition, may be placed at 800 900. 900.
the interest rate to be reduced to per
cent, which Spain may hold, practi-
cally reducing hershare to $4,000, 600
the portion proposed to be borne by the
United States or guaranteed thereby.
Such proposition would not be ac-
cepted by the United States either di-
rectly or in behalf of Cuba.
The session of the Joint Commission
| began at p. m. and ended at 6:3j
p. m.
The adjournment of the Joint Com
mission was until 4 O'Clock in the after
noon of Wednesday next Guam, in
the Ladrone Islands, has been chosen
by the Americans for the United States
under the terms Of the protocol.
The chief matter considered at to-
days session was the American reply
to SPANS revised and renewed propo-
sitionS of the last meetings, and the
indications are that the Cuban question
will be disposed of this week But no
details have been given out by either
side regarding SPANS presentment of
Friday last, or the American traverse
of the same submitted to-day
PHILIPPINES TO BE ANNEXED.
LONDON. Oct. PA dispatch to- the
Exchange Telegraph Company from
Paris says: The American Peace Com
mfssioners at Fridays joint meeting
will definitely insist upon the annexa-
ton of the Philippine Islands to the
United States.
WILL STAND NO MORE THRILLING.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 24-It was ex-
! pSCtS0 lual at tO-ddy SESSION Oh the
Peace Commission in Paris the Ameri-
can Commissioners would deliver to
their adversaries something very close
ly approaching an ultimatum. The Pres
ident is satisfied at last that the Span
ish Commissioners are purposely de-
laying the negotiations. This is the
belief of the American Commission
also.
The time has now come to cut off all
false pleas, and to come directly to the
main issue left open in the protocol,
namely, the disposition of the Philip
pines. Up to this point the entire time
of the Commissioners has been con-
sumed in repeated efforts on the part
OF the Spanish Commissioners to force
the Cuban debt question upon the at
tention of the joint commission against
the firm opposition of the American
Commissioners. The latter have stat
ed as positively as they could that
under no circumstances will they as
sumo sovereignty over Cuba. involving
an assumption Of the Cuban debt. and
the time has now come when in the
opinion Of the American Commissions