Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-17
NOT LAST MEETING,
Peace Conference Adjourns Until
Next Saturday,
SPAN|AROS YIELD NOTHING,
They Suggest Arbitration Of Philippine
Terms In Protocol.
AMOUNT TO BE PAID TO SPAIN.
This Country willing TO Make Ii n
sum Between s2O,OOO,OOO and siO,-
100000, 1t is Said-Spain VIII En-
dcayor to Secure an Increase.
cavor to Secure an Increase.

PARIS, November 1G.-The meeting to-
day OF the Spanish-American commissions
began ut 21j Z. NJ. and ended at o'clock.
The Spanish commissioners presented
long document i'm answer to the Ameri-
can argument which was submitted last
week. by mutual consent, the memo
randum of to-day was handed to the
Americans without being read, and the
meeting adjourned till Saturday next.
The Spanish communication will be
translated this evening. and its contents
will be discussed by the United States
commissioners tomorrow at their daily
session.
The Spaniards. in their communication
to-day, reaffirmed the position which they
have assumed against the discussion here
Of Spain's Philippine sovereignty. They
insist that the words "Shall determine
the control, disposition, and government
OF the Philippines" in Article III. of the
peace protocol, do not warrant any refer
.ence to Spain's withdrawal from the Phil
ippines. except on her own terms and
therefore the Spaniards propose arbltra-
tion on the construction to be placed on
the words control, disposition and gov
ernment."
DOWN TO FIGURES.
WASHINGTON, November 16.-Up to
this point, the discussion at Paris having
merely touched on principle there has
been no attempt to name exact figures in
relation to the amount of money that
might be paid to Spain by the United
States on account Of the Philippines.
Such, for instance, was the statement
that the United States would reimburse
Srain "for the pacific expenditures" made
on account Of the Philippines, for no one
here at the time had an exact knowledge
of what these expenditures amounted to
in the aggregate.
This has been ascertained, however, TO
the satisfaction of the American commits
sioners, and they will name the exact
amount OF money which the United States
is willing TO pay over 10 Spain on this ac-
count. What is proposed is a cash pay
ment TO the Spanish Government. for the
United States does not propose TO enter
into any relations whatever with The hold
ers Of any Of the bonds issued by Spain,
Notwithstanding the efforts of some OF
the European Powers to bring this result
about.
SUN WE WILL OFFER.
As to the amount which will be offered
to Spain, the officials here are mute, but
IL Is said TO lie somewhere between S2O,-
0O.COO and $i0000.000.
Our commissioners do not look for an
unconditional rejection of our offer. but
believe that there will be an attempt on
the part OF the Spanish commissioners 20
secure a liberal increase OF the amount
named. The American commissioners are
under instructions to inform lhe Spanish
commissioners that there can be no fur-
ther delay I'm the final construction of The
work of the commission. so that Ii Is ox-
pected that an agreement, one way or the
other, will be reached before long in the
peace negotiations.
ARGUMENT FOR ARBITRATION
In signifying their willingness to submit
the Philippine article of the protocol TO
a third party for construction. the Span
ish commissioners urged to-day that, as
there is obviously q difference Of opinion
regarding the phrase, the control, dis
position and government of the Philip
pines" probably the result of a misund r
standing. the Spaniards should no more
be asked to surrender their view than the
Americans TO surrender theirs.
The memorandum points out that a
deadlock exists, which might be broken
by arbitration on the contendlng views
to which the Spanish commissioners are
quite ready 10 submit. The latter declare
that they have no idea Of suggesting ar
bitration as to the main issue. which
touches national honor on both sides. but
they are willing to accept exterior aid to
clear the path Of negotiation.
1t Is safe To say that the American
commissioners will not consent 10 invoke
exterior aid to cOnstrue the terms OF their
own protocol.
A SQUARE ISSUE.
Another part of to-day's Spanish me-
morandum fatty asserts, upon the au-
thority of NJ. Cambon's reports Of the
protocol negotiations between Washing
ton and Madrid through him. that Presi-
dent Mckinley at no time objected 10
Spanish reservation OF her sovereignty
in the Philippines This allegation is di-
rectly opposed 10 the American record
on the same subject. The American COM
missioners now hold that the protocol
was born OF Spanish attempt to reserve
her Philippine sovereignty, though the
Spanish memorandum to-day squarely
challenges the contention.
Moreover, the Spanish commissioners to-
day have alleged that President Mckin-
leys objection TO Spain's phraseology in
accepting the peace terms was based sole
ly. so far as was made known. upon this
sentence in the Spanish acceptance: They
accept the proffered terms subject to the
approval OF the Cortes OF the Kingdom,
as required by their constitutional duties"
The Spanish memorandum to-day holds
that VI. Cambon answered the American
objection 10 this by pointing out that the
American terms were proffered subject
To the approval OF the Americans. but
that President Mckinley replied that he
did not desire TO involve the internal af
fairs Of the country in the proceedings
In hand.
WHY DIDN'T WE MAKE THINGS
CLEAR
The Spanish memorandum asks why,
II the Americans objected 60 Spain's Sow
ereignty. they did not plainly say so In
the protocol, and leave no room for arSu-
ment. They ask why Judge Days note
OF August 10th did not clearly say why
the Americans would not recosnize such