New-York tribune., 1898-11-29

rendered Cuba. should at the negotiations advance
. claim or even a suggestion, that the United
States assume the deDt OF territory which thoush
surrendered by Spain. was not sought for 10y the
United States as conquest prize, l. not TO"
posscssion Of the United States and which was
freed by this country at vast expense. for inde-
pendence now when matured for seli-goVerh-
ment.
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF CUBA.
When. in the discussions the American Commis-
sioncrs officially rejected the idea IF accepting
sovereignty over cuba. the Spaniards urged that'
since Spain had been compelled 70 relinGuish SOW
croignty and the United States had refused TO ''-
ccpt 1t for herself Cuba was therefore d" facto III
a state of anarchy To this The Americans re-
ioincd that. without accepting sovereignty the
United States considered Itself bound TO maintain
security fcr al the inhabitants. They affirmed ihAt
the war was wagod not for conquest bat ior hp-
| Grafton and order and that this country could not
allow the pGolongation at s very doors Of "a state
Of things which would be inmica TO the cause Of
humanity and civilization. by the intervention
resolution Of Congress the war was declared not
one Of conquest. but. by agreeing 10 be Invested
| with the sovercirnty II cuba. the United states
would give the impression OF having conquered the
/ island for territorial aggrandizemcnt 1t positively
refused TO accept the capacity Of sovereignty which
would be inconsistent with the character of hu-
manitaran d.sntcrcstedncss essential TO the honor
Of America Further. II was urged that. since the
United States hal declared that the people Of cuba
are by right and ought 10 be- free and independent
good faith requires the carrying out ~ this dccara
ton It being PLAIN that, If Cuba were annexed 20
| the United States while she might be free. she
would not be independent. At last. on october p.
! the Spanish Government. through lis commissions
ers accepted The view Of the American Commis-
soners in the matter Il the debt. that IT Is con-
cein Of this country and agreed that the Cuban
article OF the protocol should. without conditions,
have place in the final treaty Of peace.
THE PHILIPPINES
Up to this Tin. the joint Commission had
scarcely touched upon the Philippine question. al
though the American Commissioners had given
IT much attention in their separate sessions Gen
eral Merritt had arrived In Paris from Manila ana
! lad given his own and Admiral Dewey's views on
| the advisab!hty Of acquiring the islands. II may
! also be assumed hat the United States Govern
.nent had finally instructed the Con- missioners to
demand the whole group Of the Philippines
On October 81 the formulated demands Of tho
United States regarding the PHILIPPINES were pre-
| scnted They comprised the cessicn of the entire
| arclipelaso this Government TO reimburse Spain 10
the extent Of her permanent and pacific expend-
itures in the Philippines: IN other words the United
States offered TO bc responsible 10 spain for her
actual outlay in these Islands for the advantage Of
the Inhabitants for permanent bctterments and inn
provements
ON November the Spanish Cove rnment naty r.
fused TO accept the pre- position. claiming that NJ
CambOn had been instructed to reserve sovereignty
over the entir" pIoup hef)-c signing tho protocol
and that the United states ID made no protect OF
objection 1t The time 20 THIS reservation. They
maintained that the capit Ilatiou OF Manila ha,
occurred the day following the signing OF t.,
protocol. and Was therefore invalid. They elaine,
that the United States mad wrolgfully appropri
atel public moneys belonging TO Sprin by se.zina
the tariff duties az Mania to the extent Of nearl,
! sl.J1Wo. and that the United states held rs pris
! oncrs the Spanish troops At Manila In violation o
| international law. hecaIsa II was done after th'
SUSPENSION OF hostllies dnder the protocol an,
that by the imprisonment OF these troops Spair
had been prevented from queng the insurl &c ION
and the United States had thus contributed 10 th'
violence against Spain after the cessation OF hos
! Titles Moreover, they denied that the Unite,
, States had any ultimate rights In the Philippin.
Archipelago. and could have none save by the con
sent Of Spain n the present negotiations. and upci
terms satisfactory 10 her.
In reply to these contentious OF the Spanish Com
mlssl0ners the American Com nissioners made .
general denial
| In doing 80 they reheaFsed the facts Of the cas-