The Saint Paul globe., 1898-11-21
1T IS UP TO SPAIN.
She Can Cede the Philippines or
Lose Them by Conquest.

PARIS, Nov 20.-The Spanish peace
commissioners have been notified that
the United States commissioners will
be ready to treat with them In joint
session tomorrow afternoon. Unless the
Spaniards have an adequate reason for
further delay. the two commissions will
Join in the most important meetings
thus far held.
The American commissioners, In a
written communication, will declare
that the third article Of the protocol
regarding the Philippines is capable of
only one fair construction. that no ar
bitration is needed to elucidate its
terms, and that the United States can
not admit any other power to figure
here purely as a lexicologist. They will
maintain that the two commissions are
charged to determine whether Spain or
the United States shall in future own
the Philippines
This will be accompanied by the clear
declaration that the United States will
possess the Philippines.
Following this declaration the Amer
lean commissioners will lay before the
Spaniards two alternatives:
First-To accept & sum of money from the
United States and to cede and evacuate the
Philippines.
second-To lose the Philippines to the
United States by conquest with the possibility
of other territorial losses to indemnify the
United States for additional expense of oon-
quest.
This communication may not be for
mal1y designated as an ultimatum, but
1t will lose none OF the oonclusiveness
indicated by that word. This Will be
SO plain that the Spanish commission
ers will scarcely haggle for 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 win
be rendered Spain as the cheapest and
most humane way of settling the diff
fculty She is exceedingly anxious to
escape the Philippine debt, and possi-
bly, the sum to be offered may be de-
termined by an analysis of that debt,
which consists OF 10000, 900 In bonds,
on which she realized $36, 600, 900.
OF the latter she is understood to
have expended some $4,000, 900 or Sill
600, 600 in fighting the United States,
Philippine insurrection. A reasonable
guess at the sum for debt will be about
500 900, 600, though ii may fall below
that
The Cuban question may come up
again tomorrow. The American COM
missioners had thought the discussion
on that point finished. but the Spanish
commissioners are reported to have de-
clared last week that the mortgages
imposed by Spain on the Cuban as well
as the Philippine revenues must not be
impaired or questioned. This would
compel the American commissioners
soon-and probably tomorrow-to de-
tern1ine whether Spain means 10 re-
pudiate the plain compact Of the pro-
tocol to relinquish sovereignty over the
title of Cuba
Three weeks ago the Spanish COM
missioners accepted the Cuban article
in the protocol without conditions. save
that its embodiment IN the treaty
should depend only on an agreement
here on all the articles in the protocol.
Recently, however, Spain's representa-
tives have said that the Cuban matter
had been only temporarily passed and
was still in allegiance.