The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-10
PEACE COMMISSIONERS
Hold Another Brief Session in the
= French Capital.
REVIEW OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.

spain's Arguments Against Our Gov.
ernment's Policy In Relation to the
Philippines wnl Not swerve Our
Representatives.
Paris, Nov. 10-Yesterday's session
Of the peace commission lasted only
three-quarters Of an hour. The joint
session was short because Senior Mon
tero Rios and Judge Day concurred in
the service Of the American rejoinder
out a formal reading of the paper,
which would occupy many columns in
an ordinary newspaper, and an ad-
journment was taken until Saturday.
1t Is quite safe to say that the Amer
leans have made no new propositions
regarding the possession of the Phil
ippines, but confined themselves to a
discussion of the proposals and asser-
tions made by Spain at the previous
meeting. Just what were the terms of
the American rejoinder cannot, of
course. be ascertained. But, despite
persistent assertions here to the con-
eA"Ay, thSiS 40 6IouEu 90 HAS al
ready been cabled, for the Spanish con-
tention that the United States ac-
guessed, at the signing of the protocol,
in some reservation by Spain of her
Philippine sovereignty.
The facts of the case are these: On
July rs last the Washington govern
ment received from Spain an inquiry
as to the basis on which the war might
be terminated. Four days later or
whereabouts. the information was forth
coming In a response embodying the
terms of the protocol, save for the use
in the Philippine paragraph Of the word
possession" Before the response was
formally presented to M. Cambon,
SPANS representative in Washington,
he suggested the substitution Of the
word disposition" The substitution
was made and the formal response was
delivered to M. Cambon who forward
ed 1t to Madrid and on or about Aug.
Spain forwarded her reply, which. as
affecting the Philippine question, was
evasive, or ambiguous vi.
1.-THE terms relating to the Philip
pines, said the Spanish government,
seem to our understanding quite in
definite. On the one hand, the ground
On which the United States believes
themselves entitled to occupy the bay,
harbor and city of Manila, pending the
conclusion of treaty of peace, can
not be that Of conquest, since, in spite
Of the blockade maintained on the sea
by the American fleet, and in spite of
the siege established on land by the
natives, supported and provided for by
an American admiral, Manila still holds
Its own and the Spanish standard still
waves over the city On the other hand,
the whole archipelago of the Philip
pines is in the power and under the
sovereignty of SPAIN
Therefore. the government of Spain
thinks that the temporary occupation
of Manila should constitute a guaranty.
1t Is asserted that the treaty of peace
shall determine the control, disposition
and government of the Philippines, but
as the intentions of the federal govern
ment remain yelled the Spanish gov
eminent must. therefore. declare that,
while accepting the third condition,
they do not renounce the sovereignty
of Spain over the archipelago, leaving
1t to negotators to agree to such re-
forms as the conditions of these pos
sessions. and the level of the culture of
the natives may render desirable. The
government of her majesty accept the
third condition with the above men
toned declarations"
This part of Spain's note was DEEM
ed unsatisfactory at Washington.
The federal authorities therefore, on
or oil AM o5 IN
bon communication pointing out that,
while the foregoing utterances from
Madrid were understood by him to |
convey Spain's acceptance of the terms
of peace, the acceptance was not en-
tirely explicit, and that the most direct
and certain way of avoiding misun-
derstandings was to embody in pro-
tocol the terms on which the negotia-
lions for peace were to be undertaken.
Thus, on Aug. 7, Spain sought
reservation of her Philippine sover-
eighty from the treaty negotiations.
On Aug. 10 she was advised that her
note was not explicit, and that a
protocol in precise terms must be sign
ed. On Aug u, without reservation or
qualification, she instructed M. Cambon
to sign the protocol in the identical /
terms in which 1t now lies in the port
folios of her peace commissioners
terms which the Americans today
doubtless insisted provide that the COM
mission here shall determine the own
ership of the Philippines.
AS for Spaln's demands of Friday
last for the release of her imprisoned
garrison at Manila, for the return to
at |
Americans and for indemnity from the
United States for the detention of her
soldiers, it is understood. that the
American rejoinder yesterday included
all three points. 1t was held that the
of Manila was a military
capitulation, and that the possession
by the Americans was a military oc-
cupation, which warranted the collec-
ton of duties and the administration
Of government.