The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-23
Offer Of Only Twenty Millions Is PartIcu-
larry Repugnant 10 Hin.
BELIEF THAT SPAIN WILL REFUSE.
She win Retire Before Our Advance In The Philip
pines Protesting Against the Greedy Aggrss-
sion Of America Foreign Opinions.


OF opinion among unofficial people near
the commissions. but the prediction Is
made that Spain will decline the Amerl-
can offer OF money; that she Will refuse
60 cede the Philippines and will say TO
the United States: You may take the
archipelago because you have the power
TO doso, AS you advance we will retire
protesting against greedy aggression.
We will faithfully carry out our protocol
pledges and leave Cuba and Porto Rico
in your hands. You came here TO engage
in a discussion under the terms of the
protocol. but you evidently meant when
drawing up that document, TO provide a
conference in which. though we differ
man TO man. you proposed TO announce
at the proper time what you will do
whether we agree TO it or object. Such
an attitude robs the conference of a
negotiative character and sets up the
United states as dominant power
whose first purpose is to listen, but
whose ultimate determination is TO do
its own will"
As matter Of fact, Senior Rios is re-
ported 10 have used virtually such
language and arguments the fore
going. lie said more, even. indicating
high degree of exaspefation at the
American offer of $40 600 OOO His man
Aer, no less than his words. betrayed his
repugnance.
His display OF. feeling and utterances,
however, are not wholly approved by his
Spanish colleagues, who did not hesitate
TO say as much after Monday session.
Utterances later by a Spaniard Of i'm
portance. whose name Is withheld for the
It'd 80 A. 4
treaty cession OF the Philippines
Suppose" said the speaker in question
that Spain says TO the United states:
We are exhausted. NE have no funds
with which to continue the war We do
not want to continue II, and we cannot
You serve us with an ultimatum. We
must submit to your power Prepare
your treaty and when you want us to
sign we will sign. We must bend to
physical force. You have the Antilles.
and you will possess the Philippines as
conquest from a helpless people. We
yield, but we decline 500 600, 900 for prop
erty on which our valuation was not
asked esfeeted- You have your
will. We trust you Will not continue the
war because forsooth we decline your
100000 600. Surely this waiver by us OF
your money will not provoke further
use of arms against Spain. We sign we
cede, we are dumb. ii is finished; and
we may be permitted to retain the privi-
lege of assuring our people and our ma
tional creditors that we at least have not
stolen and resold territory we had
pawned'
Should Spain cede by treaty or, on the
other hand, should she refuse and break
OFF the negotiations here. her protests
VIII embody some such declaration as
this
Asaga,nst such sentiments Il is argued
that the business in hand is work for
grown men, that ii would be childish
folly TO refuse SEQ 900, 600, and that the
Spanish government could not iu..ify
such refusal before the Spanish pcSple
or the public creditors OF Spain-a de-
liberate throwing away OF $40. .OOO. 600. in
addition TO TIE loss OF the Philippines.
The spanish commissioners have sent
the American proposition by a Special
messenger TO Madrid. where IT will arrive
today. IL is felt that the Spanish gov
ernment must now answerthe American
ultima tum. but, as IL Is not likely that the
answer OF Madrid will arrive today in
time for the commissioners 60 formulate
their reply to the Americans this after
noon, IL is probable that the Joint meet
Ing will be deferred from today TO day
later in the week.
In connection with the pf1pSsai Of tie
United states TO pay Spain SEQ 00OO,OOo FOR
the cession Of the Philippines. IL may be
stated as an interesting historical fact
that of all nations this country has been
tho only one TO pay for ceded territory.
In all wars, ancient and modern. the
cohquerers oave taken everything avail
able without scruple. and All losses or
acquisitions OF territory have almost
without exception been the immediate
result of war. The United States fur
nishes the most notable exception, as the
louisiana the Florida and Gadsden
purchases were all made IN a time ~
peace. We also have the exceptional
distinction of paying for land already
won by tho right Of conquest. as we did
with Mexico I'm the case Of California,
and as Is now proposed in the case OF tho
Philippines.
Spain. of an the nations OF Europe. IS
far In the lead I'm the cession OF territory
without compensation as the result OF
unsuccessful wars. From the time OF
Philip the Second or for more than three
centuries. Spain has one after the other
parted with her valuable possessions
without the suggestion OF compensation
until in the present negotiations with
- this Prescott In hts ornate and
fascinating style. Describes the power
and grandeur OF Philip tho Second OF
Spain when he ascended tho throne IN
1856. The empire which Acknowledged
his sway had no parallel In the history OF
the world. except tnat Which owed al
legiance "a Rome in The zeriih OF its
splendor. Most.Of the falfest and tich-
est portions of continental Europe. the
pick and the Nlwtr OF the lands OF the