The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-09
SPAIN SQUIRMS.
Still Fuming Over President
McKinley's Reference
To the Blowing Up Of the Maine
In His Message.
BOUND TO SUBMIT 1T
To an international Tribunal
For Determination.
Say He Inflicted an Insult on the
Spanish Nation.
BOUND TO SUBMIT 1T

Paris, Dec. e-Senor Montero Rios,
president of the Spanish peace commits
sion and Senior Ojeda, secretary Of that
commission, are still confined to their
beds. The illness of Senior Ojeda delays
engrossing the treaty and it is doubt
full whether it will be signed before
Monday.
The Americans held their usual ses-
sion this morning.
The Spaniards continue making Bit
ter comments concerning President Nc
Kinley's reference to the Maine When
a correspondent of the Associated Press
approached Senior Garnica, of the Span
ish commission for further details of
the treaty he said: THE fact that you
represent all the American and English
papers IS really reason why 1 should
say nothing. But what you show me
as having been cabled is substantially
correct. The exact number of articles
is still undetermined. 1t depends upon
how Secretaries Ojeda and Moore di-
vide the treaty. 1t may be Il or 20 ar
ticles. The Americans are to pay the
indemnity within three months of the
ratification. We shall appoint consuls
in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine
islands without delay. The Cuban con-
sui will be accredited to the powers
that be"
Asked why the Spaniards refused to
grant the United States a coaling sta
ton in the Caroline islands, Senior Gar
ly expect that We should agree to dis
cuss matters outside Of the protocol
The Americans preserve secrecy re-
garding the terms of the treaty. This
is partly through the influence of three
senators on the body, who represent
that it would be discourtesy to the sem
ate to publish the terms before the
treaty is presented to that body by the
president.
The protocol of the treaty will almost
peach the dimensions of a volume,
tot ton fA
presented on both sides during the con-
ferences.
The Spaniards made last contribu-
ton yesterday on the assembling of the
commission. Senior Montero Rios then
presented a vigorously worded protest
in which the Spaniards declared they
had yielded to force, but that they in
vOl0ed the conscience Of the nations
against the abuse of the rights of ma
lions OF which they were the victims.
The protest was for the purpose of rec
ord and consisted of an argument in
support of every concession demanded
by the SpaniardS and which the Ameri-
can refused some of them peremptOrily
and without an opportunity for discus
sion.
The protest concluded: "But these
concessions which we were obliged to
make touch US less. then the insult
Which has been inflicted on our nation
by President Mckinley in his message.
We again protest SOlemnly against the
accusation hurled against US in con-
to again submit the question to in
ternational tribunal, comprised of Eng
land France and Germany, to determ-
inc who shall bear the responsibility of
the catastrophe"
In spite of the secrecy observed by the
Americans it is learned that the treaty
in substance consists of Is or IA articles.
The principal articles provide for the
cession and evacuation of Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippine islands and the
political, administrative and financial
results thereof the requirement by the
United States of public property and the
REIMBURSEMENT of archives The articles
of secondary Importance determine the
status of Spanish subjects remaining in
the ceded territories and unfinished law
suits and contracts; guarantees of the
same terms to Spanish shipping and
merchan dise, as imposed upon Ameri-
can shipping and merchandise in the
Philippine islands for ten years, and
leaving the status of Spanish commerce
in the West Indies to be settled later.
An important provision is the guaran-
tee of religious freedom to the ceded
territories in the same terms as the
Florida treaty, the Americans having
steadfastly refused to incorporate any
guarantee of the United States deter
mination to favor. the property of the
Catholic church, leaving it subject to
the general laws on the same footing as
private property.
Senator Gray, though well known to
be radically opposed to the policy Of
annexation, or imperialism will vote
| in the senate to ratify the treaty, con-
sidering that his signing that document
| binds him to support it.