Evening journal., 1898-11-21
NUST SIGN OR FIGHT
Americas Answer to Spain
Will Be- Unequivocal.
INDEMNITY FOR THE PHILIPPINES.
sye VIII Give Between 100000, 900
ana 0,OOO.00O-spain Reported
% BE- Ready 10 Accept Cur
Terms Of settlement.

PARIS. Nov. 21.-The Spanish peace
commissioners have been notified that
the United states commissioners win be
ready 20 treat with them in joint ses-
sion this afternoon. Unless the SPAN
ilrds have an adequate reason for fur
tner delay the two commissions will
-ion ia the most important meeting thus
far held.
The American commissioners in a
written communication will declare that
the third article of the protocol regard
ing the Philippines is capable Of only
one fair construction, that no arbitra-
ton is needed to elucidate its terms and
that the United States cannot admit
any other power to figure here purely
as q PSYCHOLOGIST They will maintain
that the two commissions are charged
90 determine whether Spain or the Unit
ed States shall IN future own the Phil
ippines.
This win be accompanied by a clear
declaration that the United States will
POSSESS the Philippines.
Following this declaration the Amer
lean commissioners viii lay before the
Spaniards two alternatives:
lirst-TO accept a sum of money from
the United States and to cede and evac-
uite the Philippines.
SecOnd-To lose the Philippines to the
United States by conquest. with the
possibility of other territorial losses to
indemnity the United States for the
added expense Of conquest.
This communication may not be for.
mally designated as an ultimatum, but
1t win lack naught of the conclusivenes1
indicated by that WORDS This viii be so
plain that the Spanish commissioners
WIN scarcely haggle for more money on
the first alternative nor cherish any
doubt of American action under the
second should the first be declined.
No one here, except the American
commissioners, knows how much will
be rendered Spain as the cheapest and
most humane way OF settling the diff
Guilty. She is exceedingly anxious to
escape the Philippine debt. and posi-
bly, the sum TO be offered may be deter
mined By an analysis of that debt,
(which consists of S40O0O,O00 i'm bonds, on
which she realized $S6.OOO.OOO OF the
latter amount she is believed to have
expended SlO,OO0O0O or S11 100000 in
fighting the United States and a part in
attempting to quell the Philippine in
surrection.
tender would be S2OOOO,OCO, though it
may fan below that.
The Cuban question may come up
again tomorrow. The American COM
nissioners had thought the discussion
on that point finished, but the Spanish
commissioners are reported to have de-
clared last week that the mortgage inn
posed by Spain on the Cuban as well
as on the Philippine revenues must not
be impaired or questioned. This would
compel the American commissioners
soon, and probably today 10 demand
whether Spain means TO repudiate the
plain compact Of the protocol to relin-
quish sovereignty over and title to
cuba. Three weeks ago the Spanish
commissioners accepted the Cuban ar
ticle i'm the protocol without conditions,
save that its embodiment in the treaty
should depend only upon an agreement
here on all the articles in the protocol.
Recently, however, Spain's represent
atives have said that the Cuban matter
had been only temporarily passed and
was still in allegiance.