Times-promoter., 1898-11-26
| NOT OFFICIALLY ADVISED.
The State Department Not Yet Ad-
vised of the Spanish Refusal
to Continue Negotiations.
THE REPORT IS NOT FULLY CREDITED
II President Rios Did, Oficially, Express
the Alleged Deter minatiOn to Break of
Negotiations the Americans VIII Leave
the Town When They Get Their Trunks
Packed, and Spain May Rue 1t.

|
Washington, Nov. 21.-The state de-
partment has not yet been advised Of
the reported refusal of the Spanish
| peace commissioners to continue the
| negotiations in Paris. Secretary Al
| ger expresses disbelief of the accuracy
| of the report or, rather, he feels that
| it was based upon the personal eX-
preston of opinion of President Rios
of the Spanish commission, and that
he did not necessarily represent the
formal opinion of the full commits
sion. Still the breach, if breach there
has been, would not be matter of
surprise 20 the state department,
which has shaped instructions to the
American commissioners SO as to
bring the negotiations in Paris to a
sharp issue, cne way or the other.
If President Rios did express the de-
termination of the Spaniards, under
instructions the American commits
sioners will promptly pack up and
leave Paris for the United States at
once. 1t is said at the state depart
meEt that nearly all of their work in
such case will 90 for nothing. The
proceedings before the commission
We're so conducted that no one point
agreed upon was to be regarded as
binding unless a complete treaty
should be made. In other words, the
agreement on each point as it was
passed over was tentative, and final
acceptance was conditioned upon
complete agreement on all points
The Protocol StilI Stands.
This does not necessarily wipe out
what has been accomplished underthe
terms of the protocol. Each article of
the protocol must stand, for it was
in no respect dependent on whatwould
follow at Paris, saying the one clause
touching the Philippines. For in
stance, Spain agreed positively to re-
1inquish her sovereignty over Cuba
and Porto Rico and evacuate those is
lands and to cede to the United States
one of the Ladrone islands for naval
station. These agreements are be-
yond recall, and all that was left to be
settled at Paris related to the Philip
pines. That is the ultimate position
of the United States government as
announced at the state department.
What May Follow in Peace or War.
As to what shall follow now-peace
or war--the officials are not clear, anG |
earnest consideration will be given to
his subject before any decision is an
bounced. 1t is believed that the Span
sh forces in Cuba will continue |
he evacuation of the island, which is
now in progress. 1t is not thought |
probable that they will attack the |
United States forces. The latter will |
lot attack as long as they continue to |
larry out the terms of the protocol. |
There is no problem connected with |
Porto Rico, which is now completely |
9 our possession. Guam. one of the
Ladrones, ear easily garrisoned at
my time, the Spanish force having
The Only OuestIOns Left
This leaves about the only questions
o be determined of those connected
With the Philippines. 1t is not believed
hat Spain will make any effort to re-
onquer these islands. Meanwhile the
Jnited States military and naval COM
nanders probably will be directed to
Ntend their occupation at once to the
whole group of islands, though it is
lot clear that this can be accom-
'Iished without much troubles and per-
laps a hostile clash with the insur-
rents. For some reasons speedy de-
ision to undertake this work would
'e acceptable to the state department..
here are foreign interests and lives
nd property there at stake for which
he United States has assumed moral
not technical responsibility.