The herald., 1898-11-29
IS JUST WHAT THE OFFICIALS
EXPECT&D
MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE
But the Most Important Questions
Have Been Solved to the Salts
faction Of America
Associated Press Special Wire

accepted as accurate the Associated Press
builetin from Paris announcing that the
Spanish Commissioners had accepted the
American terms, although official advices to
that effect had not been received up to
noon. Secretary Hay has been confident
from the beginning that such would be the
outcome, through in the negotiations there
were signs Of serious disagreements that
might have led to a failure of the commits
sion.
Much remains to be done in execution of
the last instructions Of the State Depart
ment before the peace treaty itself can be
completed and made ready for signature
The work may be hurried materially, how
ever, should the State Department decide
to permit the treatment of the remaining
questions to be settled in separate conven-
tlons.
Inc instructions to the American Com
missioners sent last week were to arrange
1or renewal Of the denounced trade trea-
ties with Spain, for the acquisition of Ualan,
Tor obtaining concessions for cable connec-
tons IN other quarters and for the procure
meht OF religious toleration in the Carolines.
These things are not likely to be easily dis
posed of, so it may be that the American
ChSl . W III iStl tidt tutN udNc COHi-
pied with the spirit Of their instructions
II they succeed in including in the peace
treaty provision binding the Spanish gov
ernment to negotiate thereafter on those
subjects on lines that may be very broadly
defned IN the peace treaty In this case two
or three more sessions of the Peace Com
mission should suffice to complete the work
OF that body, otherwise it is doubtful whe-
ther the work can be completed before
Christmas.
The exact terms of the agreement reached
IN Paris is not known at the State Depart
ment. OF course it has knowledge of the
general terms of the agreement Conse-
quently it is not possible at present to OBJ
tain here copy for publication of this I'M
portant document. Moreover, it is suggest
ed at the State Department that if the Gus
tcmary rules, relative to the publication Of
treaties be followed this particular treaty
must be withheld from the public until the
United States Senate, in its discretion. de-
law, however, on this point and the practice
is based entirely upon rather old-fashioned
conception Of the degree of courtesy which
should be exhibited towards the Senate by
the executive branch.
A call at the State Department today of
the German Charge, Count Won Sternberg,
gave rise to rumor that he had come to
make representations to the department re-
specting certain rights claimed byGermany in
the SuIu Islands. Whether this is true or
not could not be ascertained. The depart
ment, however, has not failed to take notice
of certain indirect and suspicious attempts
to ALLEVIATE the Sulu Islands from the rest
Of the Philippines, and has been before.
handed in this matter. 1t was recognized
from the beginning, and this lesson was
learned from the experience of other nations
that hava tn rppnpt that
attempts might be expected to be made by
nations that were not parties to the war to
secure advantages to which they had not the
slightest equitable claim. Japan was not
able sufferer from this sort of treatment at
the hands of certain European nations, and
consequently precautions were taken in the
case of the Paris commission to avoid leav-
ing any loophole for the entrance Of any plea
or demand for special privileges either in
the matter of territorial acquisition or trade
concessions.
Accordingly, when the administration de-
cided to acquire the Philippine Islands
the American commissioners were especially
as to leave no room for misconception on
this point, nor for the setting up of claims to
islands whose inclusion in the groups might
be regarded as doubtful.
10 reduce the American claim to the
clearest possible outlines, resort was had
to the definitions of the boundaries of the
Philippine group by geographical lines.
There was reason for this, as at a very
early stage in the war, Spain, probably with
a foreboding of what the outcome was to
be, sought to separate the important Wis
ayas group from the remainder of the
Philippines by decree, and the information
was conveyed to the State Department to
the effect that certain European power
was endeavoring to obtain, through an
agreement with Spain, the important is
land of Palawan, lying to the southwest of
the Philippine group and commanding an
important position in the trade between
China and Australia. 1t was recognized
that the Sulu islands might become an object
of attack for their status is not quite like
that of the remainder of the Philippine
group.
Spain's own title to them was not estab.
lished beyond question until 1877, when
Great Britain and Germany both acknowl
edged Spains sovereignty in return for GER
tain concessions as to freedom of trade and
fisheries so far as the islands were concerned
1t happened, perhaps fortunately for our
contention, that the Sulu Islands belonged
to the. Philippines, that few years later
Spain herself issued a decree declaring the
islands to be a part of the Philippines and
extended the authority of the Captain-Gen-
eral at Manila over the group.
The trade concessions above referred to
were confined to Great Britain and Germany
and just what effect anne xaton of the Phil
ippines to the United States will have upon
them is matter to be hereafter decided
A precedent close at hand is afforded by
that case the United States had special
treaty with the Madagascar government, un-
der which exports from the United States
were admitted to the island under certain
fixed and favorable ad valorem rates. The
French government, which acquired the is
land by conquest, claimed that this treaty
should give way to the ordinary French
tariff and the United States was obliged to
accept that contention.
In the case of Hawaii it has been deter
mined that all treaties between Hawaii and
foreign governments were terminated by
the annexation of the former, and though the
same tariff rates still remain, they exist not
by right of treaty, but simply at the pleasure
Of the President and Congress until such
time as a permanent form of government
shall replace the present government. There
fore it cannot be foretold whether the spe-
cial interests held by Great Britain and Ger
many will continue, and it is probable that
the subject will be dealt with in connection
with the whole problem that will be pre-
sented to our government in arranging tar
lift system and shipping laws for the colon
les.
1t is believed that the definition of the
limits of the Philippine group in the Amer
lean demands was as follows
From 5 degrees SO minutes north latiture
to 10 degrees 3S minutes north latitude, and
from III degrees east longitude to l28 degrees
east longitude, thus covering about 1000
miles north and south and six hur dred miles
east and west.
Annoyance has been caused by the
been caused the State Department by the