Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-13
PEACE COMMISSION.
Members Have Not Considered Ia
Joint Session the Philippines.
10 QUESTION YET DISPOSED Of.
Tho Spanish Com miasioners Have Asked, Il
10 Believed, to Have the Cuban Debt
Aasumsd bv the United
6tntaa

washington, OCL Ia - Inc peace
commissioners In Paris, so far from
reaching point Of absolute variance
on the question Of the Philippines,
have not as yet taken up that subject
for consideration. 1t is true that, at
the very first session Of the joint com
mission, the Spanish represent atives
sought to raise q question concerning
the occupancy Of Manila bay and town
by the United States military ana
naval forces The United States com.
missioners promptly refused to con-
slider the point in any aspect and, with
some reluctance, the Spaniards gave
over, for the time being, the effort to
raise that issue. Since then the com
mission, whenever meeting jointly,
has been engaged entirely with three
questions, to the complete exclusion
OF the Philippines. These questions
relate entirely to Cuba Porto Rico and
Guam and, according to the very last
reports from the American commits.
sioners to Washington, they are still
under consideration.
The United States will not assume
any financial Indebtedness as result
OF the cession or release OF Cuba and
Porto Rico. 1t was fully expected by
the authorities here that the Spanish
contingent on the peace commission
would make a strong effort to make
the assumption Of the heavy financial
obligations Of these islands condi-
ton Of the cession Of Porto Rico and
the abandonment and sovereignty over
Cuba. But the American commission
ers were fully and definitely instruct.
ed on these points, and the general
tenor OF these instructions was that
such obligations were not to be as
sumed by the United States
No dissatisfaction Is felt here at the
progress Of the commission In the set
Element Of the questions assigned toit.
1t was fully understood that the issues
presented would require the most deli
cate and cautious handling and, while
the American commissioners were ex-
pected to deal with these with the
greatest flrmness, it was realized that
some consideration must be shown for
the Spanish commissioners, who would
be obliged at least to make an effort
to secure an abatement Of the Ameri.
can demands In order to satisfy public
feeling at home.
1t can be stated that there has been
no diminution in the confidence of the
administration In satisfactory out.
come OF the peace negotiations at
Paris. When that city was selected
for the meeting place Of the peace
commissioners, at the most earnest and
repeated prayer Of M Cambon, 1t was
understood that the American commits
sioners would be obliged to bear up
against strong pressure from the pro.
Spanish element in the French press,
but this had all been discussed before
the commissioners sailed from Amer
lea, and the president was satisfied
that the men he had selected to repre-.
sent the United States were of suffi.
cient individual strength to resist any |
outside influences.
NO QUESTION YET DISPOSED OF.
Paris Oct is.-After a fourth joint
session the American and Spanish
peace commissions adjourned without
having reached final conclusion as
to any point in the protocol. Thus
far there has been no joint formulation
or capitalization Of views to be re.
turned by each commission to Its gov.
ernmeut for embodying in the final
treaty The question Of the Philip.
pines has not yet been considered in
joint session, though the Americans,
at their separate sessions, have ac-
quired exhaustive information from
persons who have lived in the Philip.
pine islands and done business there.
They are now, therefore, well equipped
to discuss the subject when it comes
up.
The Spanish commissioners have pre-.
scented written views, expressions and
propositions to which there have been
written rejoinders These, in the orig.
inal and in translations, have been
read at the joint sessions; while during
the recesses they have been respectively
digested and responses formulated TO