The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-10-01
4 DELIBERATE PURPOSE.
The Natural Duplicity of the Doa
Appears in a Show of
Candor.
MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO DRAW OUR FIRE.
A Yelled Threat-Have Guarded Their In.
structions-Wm Not Permit the Insur-
gents to be Placed at the Mercy OF
New Masters-The Cuban Debt and
the Philippine Loan.

the Philippine Loan.
Washington, Sept. 2S.-The freedom
with which the Spanish minister fol-
foreign affairs, the Duke de Almoda.
var del Rio, has given publicity to the
instructions to the Spanish peace
commissioners as to the disposition OF
the Philippines, has given rise to the
suspicion among the officials here that
there is behind it a deliberate purpose
to draw out in advance the position OF
the American commissioners on this
most important point. 1t is noteC
now hat heretofore the Spanish gov.
M has waited upon the United
States government to make each o.
the steps toward final peace before
making Il move on their side, so that
this sudden change in policy is &c.
counted for only OIL the ground stated
4 Yelled Threat.
There is besides this apparent pur
pose u yelled threat in the last III
struction, not under any circum'
stances to allow the United States &c
interfere with any disposition of the
islands outside of those retained by
the United States. such as LuZon, that
Spain may see fit to make. This Is
believed to be an invitation to some OF
the continental powers to step Tor
ward in support of Spain in this eN'
tremity, in the hope of receiving as q
ouid pro quo some of the Philippines
as coaling or naval stations.
Have So Far Concealed Their Instructions
Although the American peace COM
misSiOnerS have so far successfully re-
| sisted all attempts to ascertain the eN-
act natur of their instructions. some
| thing is known of their general cha
acter, and it may be stated on this
point IF the final disposition of such
of the Philippines as are not held by
the United States that, while the pres
ident has nowhere directly admitted
any obligation TO the insurgents, yet
so long as they carry out their part
and avoid a rupture with IL forces at
Manila, he feels that in any arrange
ment that shall be made by the peace
commission for the final disposition of
the islands. the insurgents shall not
be placed at the mercy of the Spanish
government without guarantees for
their proper treatment.
VIII Not Allow the Insurgents to bt
Placed at the Mercy of New Masters.
= BY an extension of this same view
it is unlikely that he would care tO
allow them to be turned over to an
other power that might Oppressively
treat them, especially without the
consent of the natives. Then there
are, as the naval experts have pointed
out. strong strategic reasons why the
United States should refuse to sane
ton the cession of any of the Philip
pine islands to any other nation &c
serve as Il naval base. 1t has been eX-
planned TO the American peace com
miSSionerS that by the possession of
the island of LuZon, on the north. and
the island of PaIawan, on the south.
the United States would control the
great gateway for the large traffic
hat passes between China and Aus
tralia. as well as the myriad islands OF
the south Pacific.
The Cuban Debt and the Philippine Loan
1t is also noted at the state depart.
ment hat the Spanish minister fol
foreign affairs is reported to have di-
rected the Spanish peace commission.
ers ito make Il firm stand regarding
the Cuban debt. and the Philippine
loan OF 1896, if LuZon is coded to Amer.
lea"
VIII Deal with No Matters Pertaining to
Cuba.
So far as the Philippine loan is con.
cerned that subject might properly
come before the peace commission
But Judge Day, the president of the
American commission. just before his
departure, in answer to a question as
to whether any matters relative &c
Cuba would come before the commits,
sion. pointed to the language of the
protocol to show that the proper func.
ton of the commission was to he
found in the disposal of the future OF
the Philippine Islands. intimating that
no question touching Cuba in any
phase would be considered by the
commission. The understanding was
conveyed, consequently, that the Gu
ban debt would figure in no fashion
before the commission. if the Ameri'
can commissioners could prevent it
although it was fully expected that
the Spanish commissioners would
make an effort to bring that subject
info the deliberations of the body.