The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-11-03

PARIS, Oct 31-At a joint meeting
of the American and Spanish peace
commissioners today the American
commissioners presented a written
expression of the purpose of the
United States to take the entire group
of Philippine Islands and to assume
such proportion Of the Philippine
debt as has been spent for the benefit
of the islands or their inhabitants in
public improvements and permanent
betternents.
1t was also set forth that the United
States will not assume any part of
the Philippine debt which has been
incurred by Spain for the further
ance of military or naval operations
to quell instructions of the natives.
The session was adjourned until
Friday, in order to give the Spaniards
time to prepare reply.
When the commissioners assembled
the Spaniards took their accustomed
places at the historic table on which
the treaty of American independence
was signed in 1888, while the Ameri-
cans ranged themselves opposite, with
the interpreter, Mr. Ferguson, stand
ing at the end of the table, on the
right of Judge Day and the left of
Senor Montero Rios.
Secretary Moore, upon the request
.af In tn I,n in
prefer the formulated demands of the
United States regarding the Philip
pines, which were read to the
Spaniards in their own tongue by a
rapid rendering from the English. in
which they were written. Although
the Spanish commissioners did not
betray anxiety their attention to the
reading was keen. They had antici-
pated that the United States would
take the islands, but the details of
the transfer had been a subject of
speculation.
The reading disclosed the fact that
the United States government had
determined to possess for itself certain
territory bounded by and lying with
in such parallels of latitude and
longitude as mark the limits of the
Philippine archipelago. The United
States does not intend to assume all
of the Philippine debt of $4,000, 900,
but was willing to be responsible to
Spain for sum of money equal to
the actual expenditures by Spain in
the Philippines for the advantage of
the islands and for the good of their
people in public improvements.
The American document specifies
that the United States will reimburse
Spain to the extent of her ''pacific
expenditures" made in the archipela-
go. This phrase, pacific expendi-
lures" is inteded to bar out the ex-
penditure by Spain in combating in
surrections in the Philippines. The
one is felt by the American commits
sioners to be fair burden upon the
acquiring power, while the other and
latter class of expenditure is held to
have been logically assumed by Spain
in the inevitable hazard of a nation
resorting to arms to enforce order in
it's own territory.
Such is the vital portion of the
presentment made by the American
commissioners. While the main pro-
position as to possession and financial
responsibility is definite, many de-
tails have been left to the develop
ments of the discussion between the
two commissions.
Thus, while the Spaniards are
certain that the United States in
tends to reimburse them for "pacific
expenditures" they remark that they
are not enlightened as to whether the
Americans expect to indorse the
Spanish obligations to the extent of
''paciflc expenditures" in the archipe-
lago or whether they will hand Spain
lump of gold large enough to cover
Spain's outlay so designated.
Possibly the American commits
sioners themselves are not at present
fully determined on this point 1t is
unlikely that they will care to be-
come identified in the slightest de-
gree with Spain in her responsibility
to her creditors. The clearer method
seems to be to hand to Spain spot
cash or something as good.
While the United States has des-
ignated pacific expenditures" as
those to be reimbursed to Spain, the
presentment of the American com
missioners did not demand either a
schedule or an inventory of them.
But the suggestion naturally raises
an inquiry as to the kind and quanti-
ty of Spain's pacific expenditures" in
the Philippines, and some light may
be given on that question.
There is considerable traffic among
the islands, and some time ago a sys-
tenn of lighthouses became necessary.
Spain set out to supply this and pro-
jected forty eight light stations. OF
these she has already contructed
seventeen of the first class and sixteen
of the second. What they cost is not
yet known here, but in American