New-York tribune., 1898-11-05
STIFF REPLY FROM SPAIN.
FLAT REFUSAL TO ACCEPT AMERICAS
DEMAND FOR THE PHILIPPINES.

STATEMENT THAT NJ. CAMBoN HAD BEEN
INSTRUCTED TO RESERVE sovER-
EIGHTY OVER THE GROUP BEFORE
SIGNING THE PROTOCor-COUN-
TER DEMANDS MADE.
Paris Nov 4.-The Spanish Commissioners IN
the course OF two hours session OF the Peace
Conference to-day fatty refused to accept tne
proposition made on Monday by the Americans
to take the entire Philippine group and 10 re'n-
burse Spain for her pacific expenditures there'
This negative decision was expected Inc
Spanish Commissioners had also numper oi
positive declarations. which filled some thirty-
seven sheets OF a typewriter presentment. In
this statement the Spaniards held that the
United States had no ultimate rights In the
Philippine archipelago. and could have nohe'
save by the consent OF Spain in these negotia-
tions and upon terms satisfactory to her. Ac-
cording to the Spanish contention In the formal
statement the United States entertained no
thought OF annexlng the Philippines when the
protocol was signed. or II would have been eX-
pressed I'm the protocol clearly as the con-
ditions regarding the cessiOn OF territory In the
Antilles and the orient. VI. Cambon. before the
signature OF the protocol. received from Ma
drid. the presentment alleged cable message
clearly setting forth that the maintenance or
Spain's authority over the Philippines should
not be affected by the protocol TO which reser-
walton the United States made at that time no
protest or objection. This dispatch to NJ Cam
bon, the Spanards asserted to-day. embodied
also the view that the United States had no
valid basis for claims In the archipelago.
1t was further held to-day by Sehor Rios and
his colleagues that the captulation of Manila.
having occurred after the signing Of the pro-
tocol and thus after the suspension Of hostili-
ties. was invalid
SPANISH COUNTER PROPOSITIONS.
With all this for groundwork the Spaniards
made their first positive move against the Amer
icans and II constituted their counter-proposl-
ton They charged upon the United States
wrongful appropriation Of public moneys be
longing 10 Spain by seizing the tarift duties at
Manila. and they formally demanded the return
Of these moneys in the sum Of nearly Sl.WO.Np
on the same premises the United States were
to-day declared to have made and held as pris-
oners the Spanish troops at Manila in viola
ton Of international law. because done after
the SUSPENSION Of hostilites under the protocol
A further charge was that by the imprisonment
of the Spanish troops at Manila the United
States had prevented Spain from quelling the
insurrection and had thus contributed to the
violence against Spain after the cessation OF
hostilities
To-days Spanish presentment also cited the
refusal OF the Americans to consider the CUBAN
debt on the ground that II was not mentioned
In the protocol and demanded an adherence
70 this rs a precedent in the discussion Of the
Philiprines regarding the cession Of which the
Spanish Commissioners held the protocol made
no mention
In support of these assertions. arguments and
demands the Spanish presentment invokes
Spain's record In the correspondence. by mail
and telegraph. though It Is not known unofit-
cially whether the spaniards produced the mes
sage said to have been sent from Madrid TO NJ
Cambon at the time the protocol was signed.
in which. it was affirmed to-day, Spain reserved
her Philippine sovereignty
WILL BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
The presentment was read by the interpreter
Mr. Ferguson, being rendered from the Spanish
in which 1t was written. into English. At the
close Of the reading the Americans said they
wished to have the Spanish statement rendered
into written English for more careful consd-
Grafton. and adjournment was taken to
Tuesday next.
This evening the Spaniards affect TO believe
that the Americans had planned 10 develop the
spirit Of their Philippine demands before the
American elections. but they decline to say
whether they expect easier terms after the cleo
tion.
The entire clerical force OF the American Com
mission will be busy the greater part Of the
night in handling the Spanish presentment. and
the counsel to the Commissioners Will at the
same time examine 1t with View to to-mor-
rows private session Of the American Com
mission. when a response will be formulated.
II NAV again be asserted on the highest au-
thority. as bearing the Spanish argument.
that when the protocol was signed there was
no understanding. verbal or otherwise. which
the protocol does not show forth Nor have the
American Commissioners at any time. the
other hand. held believed that the protocol
in itself determined anything against SPANS
sovereignty in the Philippines The American
representatives have. however. held and doubt
less will hold that the protocol was meant to
provide. and does provide. for a decision by the
Paris Conference regarding the ownership Of the
Philippines
The Americans will undoubtedly cite the fact
that originally the protocol contained the word
possession" instead Of "disposition," the latter
having been substituted at VI. Cambons request
and in Difference to Spanish sensibilities. The
original reading win unquestionably be recurred
to now as indicating the mental attitude Of the
American sgner OF the protocol toward Amerl-
can possession Of the Philippines. This line Of
reasoning naturally. will include the question or
the precedent which the Spaniards say was
created by the refusal of the United states TO
consider the Cuban debt because 1t was not
mentioned in the protocol.
THE CAPITU'LATION OF MANILA.
II IS possible that the American Commission
ers may finally concur with the Spanish conten-
ton that the captulation Of Manila. coming
after the signing Of the protocol was invalid
In that event the Americans may cite. as an on
49, ,o-ie d,,tias collected their own