The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-12-08
United States Asked to Grant. for a
Term. of Five Years, Equal Trade
Privileges in Cuba and Porto
Rico-Proposition, and Arguments
Strongly stated-Americans Ask
for Time to Conslder-spanish
Commissioners Receive Instruc.
lions ON These Points Which the
Americans Consider Important
Negotiations May BE PROLONGED.

to conclude their work, the United
States and Spanish peace commission
ers did not hold a joint session yester-
day. Their next meeting will be held
at 2 o'clock this afternoon. This delay
arose from the fact that the Spanish
commissioners at Wednesdays session
offered several urgent propositions
which called for pecial deliberation on
the part of the Americans. Spain asks
the United States to grant TO ia term
of five years to Spanish ships carrying
Spanish goods or products to Porto
Rico and Cuba the same privileges as
American vessels engaged in the same
trade may have, and she qualities this
request by Il proviso that trade priv
ileges be extended to Cuba so long as
the United States government is dom.
inant over that island. In support of
this request the Spanish commission
ers assert that Spain cannot without
vital harm Immediately abandon or
cut the business relations so long
maintained between the mother coun-
Try and the West Indian territories.
They declare that family ties and So
cial relations, added to
Affairs of Trade
maintained through centuries, require
,sraduai dissolution. Spain points to
the American proposed open door pol
icy in the Philippines, and asks q
guarantee Of the same advantages in
her late West Indian colonies until
trade relations can by degrees accus-
tom themselves to the change of SOW
Iereignty. The proposition and the
arguments by which it was supported
are considered strongly stated, and the
American commissioners desired time
for elaboration. Meanwhile the
Spanish commissioners had been pre-
pairing a list Of subjects for negotia-
lions, supplemented by suggestions
counter to and amendatory to the sub
jects the Americans had submitted.
This came to the American commits
sioners in Spanish, rendering it even
more desirable to postpone the joint
session in order to give time for trans
ilation and consideration Now that
the first gust Of grief and chagrin has
passed the Spanish commissioners are
meeting the Americans in frank
spirit that is helpful to an early com
pict1on Oh the ncsotiotiono.
Negotiations May BE Delayed.
From information which came to tho
correspondent of the Associated Press
from we'll authenticated source late
last Dight it seems unlikely that the
commissions will finish their work as
soon as had been expected. 1t is prob
able that the negotiations will last
considerable longer. Madrid has in
structed the Spanish commissioners on
three points to which the Americans
attach much Importance. These are
the cession of an island in the Caro-
lines, the granting of religious freedom
over the whole Of the Carolines and
the cession of q cable and coaling sta
ton at Ceuta. The Spanish govern
ment has instructed Senior Rios to
grant none Of these, and while Spain
may ultimately yield to them all, it Is
admitted that the American commits
sioners have no power to enforce their
demands on points not covered by the
protocol. Before Spain does yield the
negotiations are likely to be prolonged
and the United States may have to
give substantial quid pro quo.