The morning news., 1898-12-02
FADING FOR PRIVILEGES.
c,N.T DREAK OFF RELATIONS
WITH HER COLONIES ABRUPTLY.

s.,iu Asks That Spanish ships BE
,,.corded the Same Privileges i'm
Porto Rico and Cuba as Those En-
toved by American Vessels-TheY
r,.. the Terms Granted when
r,orida was Turned Over to Uncle
som-CaroIincs Likely to Cause De-
lay.
paris Dec. 1.--Anxious as both are to
conclude their work, the United States ana
snanish peace commission did not hold
ioint session to-day. Their next meet
;,g will be held at o clock tomorrow af-
,ernoon. This delay arose from the fact
,let fbe Spanish commission at yestcr-
avs session offered several urgent propo-
si,ions which called for special delibera-
tion upon the part of the Americans.
spain asked the United States to grant
for term of five years to Spanish ships
carving Spanish goods or products 10
Porto Rico and Cuba the same privilege as
American vessels engaged in the same
trade may have, and she qualities this re-
ouest by proviso that trade privileges
states government is dominant over the
is.and.
In support of this request the Spanish
commissioners assert that Spain cannot,
without vital harm, Immediately abandon
or cut the business relations SO long main
tained between the mother country and
the West Indian territories.
They declare that family ties and social
relations added to affairs of trade main
tanned through centuries, require gradual
dissolution. They invoke the terms of the
treaty of 1919, by which the United States
tool, over Florida from Spain and in the
fifteenth article of which granted Spain
for twelve years the right to send her
goods and products to Florida in Spanish
ships on the same terms as the ships car
rying thither goods and products of the
United States
The Spanish commissioners cite further
the fact that the treaty of 1903 with France
for the cession of Louisiana granted
French and Spanish goods and products
the same terms as Americans in New Or
leans and other ports in the ceded terri
tory.
Finally Spain points to the American
proposed open door" policy in the Phil
ip9nes and asks guarantee of the same
advantages in her late West Indian colo
nies, until trade relations can by degrees
accustom themselves TO the change of
sovereignty.
This proposition and The argument by
which il was supported are considered
strongly stated, and the American com
missioners desired time for delibera ton.
Thus, though busy until nearly O'Clock
this afternoon they We're not fully pre-
pared and Judge Day sent a message to
Senor Montero Rios requesting that the
joint session fixed for this afternoon be
postponed until tomorrow.
Meanwhile the Spanish commissioners
had been preparing list of subjects for
negotiation, supplemented by suggestions
counter TO and amendatory of the subjects
the Americans submitted yesterday. This
came to the American commissioners to-
day in Spanish, rendering it even more
desirable TO postpone the joint session in
order 10 give time for translation and con-
sderation. The translation is being made
this evening and the subject VIII be laid
before the American commissioners to-
morrow morning. Now that the first gust
OF grief and chagrin has passed. the Span
ish commissioners are meeting the Ameri-
cans in frank spirit that is helpful to
an early completion of the negotiations
Midnight-From information which
comes to the correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press from a well authenticated
source late this evening it seems unlikely
that the commissions will finish their
work as soon as had been expected. 1t is
probable that the negotiations will last
considerably longer.
Madrid has Instructed the Spanish COM
missioners on three points to which the
Americans attach much Importance These
are the cession Of an island in the Care
lines, the granting of religious freedom
over the whole of the Carones, and the
cession of a cable and coaling station at
Ceuta.
Uhe Spanish government has instructed
Senor Montero Rios TO grant none of these
While Spain may ultimately yield to them
all it Is admitted that the American com
missioners have no power 10 enforce their
demands on points not covered by the
protocol. Before Spain does yield, the
negotiations are likely TO be prolonged and
the United States may have to give a
substantial iquid pro quo.