The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-04
Treaty Will Be
Signed.
Mr.. DAYS OPINION.
Germany Negotiatingfor the
Purchase of Carolines.

Paris Dec. 9.-The American COM
missioners had a three hours meeting
this morning, but there was no meet
ing of the joint commission during the
day.
The position of the commission, says
an American commissioner, is that of
two card players, each studying Lis
own hand and waiting for his oppo-'
nents lead.
In spite of this temporary halt in
the negotiations and contrary to the
general opinion, Judge Day, president
of the American commission, believes
the treaty will be signed next week.
! But a great deal of work must be done
before the treaty is ready for the sig
nature as after ten weeks of nego-
tiations, the only articles accepted by
! both commissions are the three lead
! ing ones, providing for the cession Of
| Spanish colonies, and those only in
principle, and not in language.
The adjournment today was at Judge
| Days request, as the long morning SEES
| sion developed divergence of opinion,
and had the joint session been hell,
| the Americans would not have entered
| 1t as united body.
The exact nature Of the differences
| of opinion cannot be ascertained: but
| it is believed some of the commission
| ers are in a more yielding mood to-
| wards Spain than their colleagues
There is no doubt that the Spania"1s
/ on Sunday will report the arrival CT
| their governments instruction. the alb
| sence of which caused Fridays adj
| jouTnment.
Among on-lOokers there is skepticism
| concerning these Instructions
| Tt is believed that they constitute 4
! diplomatic scapegoat put forward by
| the Spaniards to cover the delay neg
| essary to them. The question of a coal
! ing station for the United States in the
| Caroline islands is not likely to prove
/ a serious stumbling block. The Amer
| leans have not made it one of the Ga
! mands whose granting is essential to
! the conclusion of the treaty of peace
| Some of them are not enthusiastic in
! its favor and none of them think Ger
| many's negotiations FOR the Carolines
are likely to lead to complications be.
| tween Germany and the United States
In French official circles, it is asserted
that, under the p0pes award of 1885.
| Germany already possesses certain
| rights in the Carolines, which would
| prevent spain from selling us one of
| those islands. But this is matter
which has already been investigated bv
| the Americans, who find that Ger
many rights refer to certain fishing
! privilege rights of German citizens and
| their right to a coaling station to be
( agreed on mutually between Spain and
Germany.
All this was set out in our foreign
relations book of 1886, and there is
nothing to prevent Spain from selling
US any island she chooses. She undoubt-
eddy desires to sell the group and might
pc willing to transfer them to the
United States If her price is paid.
| Americans familiar with the questions.
! consider that the Philippines and the
| Ladrones furnish all the coaling bases
necessary in the Pacific
The report from Berlin that Germany
is negotiating for the purchase of f6a
Caroline islands is confirmed from sew
eral quarters, although Count Won
Munster-Ledenburg, the German am
bassador here, said he knew nothing at
all about the matter. The American
commissioners are inclined to believe
the report. and it is looked upon as eX-
planning the reluctance of the Spanfards
to give the Americans an answer in
regard to the cession of one of the
Caroline Islands, as well as the ones
ton Of religious liberty there. and the
latest developments confirm the report
| hat the Spaniards have been instruct
ca not to yield on these points until
tney nave made good bargain