The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-05
SPAIN FLIES THE TRACK.
Peace Commissioners Deny American
Rights in the Philippines.


Paris, Nov 5.-The Spanish commits
siOners, in the course of a two hours
session of the peace conference yester-
day, fatty refused to accept Mondays
proposition by the Americans to take
the entire Philippine group and to re-
imburse Spain for her pacific" expen-
ditures there.
This negative action was expected.
The Spanish commissioners had also a
number of positive declarations which
filled some 81 sheets Of a typewriter
presentment. In this statement the
SpaniardS held that the United States
had no ultimate rights in the Philippine
islands and could have none save by the
consent of Spain in these negotiations
According to the Spanish contention
IN the formal statement, the United
States entertained no thought of an
nexlng the Philippines when the prOtO-
col was signed. or it would have been
expressed in the protocol as clearly as
the conditions regarding the cession of
territory in the Antilles and the Orient
NJ. Cambon, before the signing of the
protocol received from Madrid-the pre-
sentiment alleged-a cable message set
ting forth that the maintenance of
Spain'S authority over the Philippines
should not be affected by the protocol.
to which reservation the United States
made at that time no protest or objec-
The dispatch to NJ Cambon, as the
Span1ards claimed embodied also the
view that the United States had no
%.
It was further held by Senor Rios
and his colleagues that the capitulation
az Mania, having occurred after the
signing of the protocol and thus after
the suspension of hostilities, was invaI-
With all this for a ground work. the
Spanlards made their first positive
move against the Americans and If
constituted their counter proposition.
1hey charged upon the United States
a WrOn gful appropriation of TnOnevs he
SDain nv
duties at Manila, and they formally de-
manded the return of these monies in
the sum OF nearly million dollars.
On the some premises the United
states was declared to have made and
heIQ as prisoners the Spanish troops
at Manila in violation of internatiopaI
law, because done after the SUSPENSION
OF hostiities under the protocol a
Lurther charge was that by the impris-
ohInent or the Spanish troops at Manila
Ihe United States had prevented SDain
from repelling the insurrectiOn ana t1ad
LhuS contributed to the violence against
SPAN P15ih aIuer the cessation of hostiIities
Inc spanish presentment also cited
the refusal of the Americans t0 Co7,ejt1.-
the cuban debt on the ground that if
was not sanctioned in the protocol ana
demanded an adherence TO fbjS a c q 40
cedent IN the discussion of the Phi1in
pines, regarding a cessiOn of which the
spanish commissioners held the proto-
col to make no mention
In support of these assertions .roy,,
ments and demands the SnaDisI7 ~
sentiment invOkes Spain's record in the
correspondence by mail and telegram
tnough 1t is not known unoficialIV
Whether the Spaniards produced the
message said to have been sent from
Madrid to M. CambOn, at the time tbe
protocol was signed. in which it was
dIlrmed, Spain reserved her Phi1iDDiDe
sovereignty The presentment was read
py interpreter Ferguson, being render
ed from the Spanish in which If was
written into English. At the close of
the reading the Americans said thew
wished to have the Spanish statement
rendered into written English for more
careLuI consideration and an adjourn
ment was taken to Tuesday.
The SpaniardS affect to believe that
the Americans had planned to develOD
the spirit of their Philippines demands
before the American elections but thev
decline to say whether they expect cas-
Ter terms after the election
It IS possible that the American COM
mlSSlOners may finally concur with the
Spanish contention that the capitulation
of Manila, coming after the signing of
the protocol was invalid.
In that event the Americans NAV cite
as an offset to the tariff duties collected
their own expenditure in administering
the government of Manila and enforc-
ing order. They may also ask if Spain
wishes the insurgent condor of the citv
and the insurgent control of the wa
terworks re-established as a step tow
ard the restoration of the status QUO
ante, which the Spaniar1s declare was
broken by the Americans.
Finally, Spain may be asked to con-
Sider whether, instead of being prison.
ers of the United States the Spanish
" refugees within American protection.
But, however, the contentious may re-
suit, there are at present, no indica-
tions Of a rupture.