Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-01
PART OF DEBT TO BE ASSUMED
ONLY TH.T REPRESENTING "PACIF-
&c EXPENDITURES"
Formal Notice Was Given by Peace
Commissioners in Paris Yester-
day-Spanish commissioners
Say the Demand Cannot
He Acccded To.

United States to take the entire group of
Philippine islands and to assume sucn pro-
portion of the Philippine debt as has been
spent for the benefit of the islands or their
inhabitants. in public works, improvements
and permanent betterments.
1t was also set forth that the United
States would not assume any part of the
Philippine debt which had been incurred by
Spain for the furtherance of military or
naval operations to quell instructions of
the natives:
The session was adjourned until Friday.
in order to give the Spaniards time to pre-
pare reply.
The session to-day lasted little over an
hour.
The American commissioners, each carry
ing a portfolio containing records and per-
sonal memoranda, left their headquarters
in the Continental hotel for the meeting
with the Spanish commissioners at the for
eign office, shortly before O'Clock this
afternoon. The president of the Spanish
commission, Senor Montero Rios, whose
health at one time was so precarious as to
threaten an indefinite adjournment of the
sessions of the commissions, had improved
to the extent of enabling him to attend
to-day's meeting. He arrived at the for
eign office in a closed carriage with his
colleagues shortly after the Americans
reached the meeting place.
Shortly after o'clock the ten commits
sioners confronted each other across the
table on which, in 17s3 Benjamin Franklin
and his colleagues signed the treaty of in
dependence of the United States.
The Americans were removing their
wraps when the Spaniards entered the
ante-room, and polite and cordial greetings
were exchanged as the two groups, COM
mingling, passed through the grand salon.
where a buffet was spread, and entered
the conference chamber, in which, before
leaving, the Spaniards would learn the
attitude of the United States toward the
Philippines.
The Spanish commissioners took their ac-
customed places at the historic table, the
afternoon light full in their faces. while
the Americans ranged themselves opposite,
with their backs to the light and with the
interpreter standing at the end of theI
table on the right of Judge Day, and onl
the left of Senior Montero Rios, and be-
tween the two secretaries, Mr.. Moore and
Senior Ojeda.
Secretary Moore. upon the request Of
Judge Day, passed to Mr.. Ferguson. th{
interpreter. the formulated demands of thS
United States regarding the Philippines
which were read to the Spaniards in theis
own tongue by a rapid rendering from thE
English, in which they were written. Al
though the Spanish commissioners did nd
betray anxiety. their attention to the read
ing was keen.
They had anticinated no TpitI
States would take over the islands. bs
the terms and details of the transfer Id {
all along been a subject of speculation. 4
The reading disclosed the fact that II
United States government had determI%i
to possess for itself certain territory aSd
parts of land bounded by and lying witSsl
such parallels of latitude and longitudel
mark the limits of the Philippine arehl-
pelago. The United States do not our-
pose assuming the Philippine debt o. $40.-
600, 900, but they are willing to be resoonsi-
BILE to Spain for of money equal to
the actual expenditures by Spain n the
Philippines for the advantage of the ISL
ands and for the good or their people, for
permanent betterments and for improve
ments, both physical and mental.
The reading of the presentment specifies
that the United States will reimburse Spain
to the extent of her pacific expenditures"
MADE III the dFCHlpeldSO. L his phrase. pa
cific expenditures is employed to differ
entiate the expenditures by Spain n COM
batting instructions in the Philippines.
The one is felt by the American commits
sioners to be a fair burden on the acquir-
ing power. while the other and latter class
of expenditures is held to have been logi-
cally assumed by Spain in the ineritable
hazard TO a nation resorting to arms to
enforce order in its own territory.
Such is the vital portion of the present.
| ment made by the American commissioners
to-day, and it is to he observed that. while
the main proposition as to possession and
mite. many details have been left, to the
| developments of the discussions between
the two commissions.
Thus, while the Spaniards are tonight
| quite certain that the United States intend
| TO reimburse them for pacific eXpendi-
| tures' they remark that they are not en-
| lightened as to whether the Americans ex-
| pect to irdorse the Spanish obligations to
| the extent of pacific expenditures IN the
archipelago or whether they will hand
| Spain lump of gold large enough to cover
| the Spanish outlay so designated. Possibly
| the American commissioners themselves
are not at this moment fully determined on
| this point.
| 1t is unlikely. however, that the Ameri-
| cans will care to become identified in the
| slightest deSeree with Spain in her respon-
| sibility TO her creditors. The clearer meth
| cd seems to be 10 hand to Spain spot cash,
| or something as good, and to bid her ap-
| ply il on her debts. by whatever name
| known or to put it in her wallet for what
| ever use she may elect.
| While the United States have designated
| pacific expenditures as those they will
| reimburse to Spain. the presentment of the
| American commissioners to-day did not de-
mand either q schedule or an inventory of
| the same from the Spaniards. But the sug-
| gestion naturally raises an inquiry as to
the kind and quantity of Spain's pacific
| expenditures in the Philippines. and some
light may be given on that matter now
| There is considerable traffic between the
islands, and some time ago q system OF
| lighthouses became necessary. Spain SET
out to supply this and projected forty-eigh,
light stations. OF these she has already
constructed seventeen of the first class anG
sixteen of the second. What they cost is
not vet known hare, but in American wa.
ters those of the first class cost from S2J Oo'
to $50 900 each so that on an average basis
of the minimum cost in the United States
Spain's thirty-three lighthouses may repre-.
sent an outlay of sS25,CcH.
Spain has constructed breakwaters al
| Manila at an expense not yet known here
| and wharves of small value along the
Pasig river She has recently built bar.
racks for 24,O9O men, now occupied by
American troops, the cost of which is not
yet ascertainable.
At Cavite, Spain had built naval station
which, before it was sacked by the natives
was said to be equal to the Mare island