Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-11-04
THE SITUATION At PARIS.
American Commissioners Will Never Recede
from Stand Regarding the Philippines.

Paris, Nov. 3.-Last Monday, the Uni
ter States and Spanish peace commits
sioners left the definite limitations Of
field of diplomacy, where an open ques-
ton is to be decided Both commits
siOners realize that the area is ample
enough for some manoeuvering, though
on the American side the tendency is te
evolutions much more compact than
those of the Spaniards. Both would
undoubtedly be gratified to reach a
mutual conclusion without compulsion.
At Mondays joint session the Ameri-
can commissioners laid down pro-
position in two parts: First that the
United States should take over the
Philippine entire; second, that in so
doing they should reimburse to Spain
the sum of her permanent and pacific
expenditures in the Philippines. The
logic of the situation compelled the
Americans to make the first move.
Having heard the American PROPOSE
ton the Spaniards might have immedi-
ately declined it as they certainly will
do at tomorrow's session. Whether
they will accompany the refusal with a
counter proposition has not been def
nitely ascertained, though, at late
hour, this evening, that course seems
improbable. The result will be that
the commissions will retire from con-
fronting positions until one or the other
shall have reformed it's lines for the
next meeting, which win probably oc-
cur next week.
IT the Spanish commissioners enter
tain hope that after the elections in
the United States the American COM
missioners will relax their demands as
to the Philippines, they have not utter
ed it here for the public ear nor has
anything been said or done by any
member of the United States commits
sion to warrant such hope.
The American commissioners came
to Paris with no greed for Philippine
territory. in Sc. To an unofficial by
stander the question with them has
seemed to be rather to find the right
path and to walk in it, than by a bold
use of power to wrench the utmost ad-
vantage from a distressed opponent.
The fact is the commissioners have
felt that the conditions precedent rem
der the letting go of the Philippines as
different as their retention. There is.
for instance, the question of the future
of Aguinaldo and his chief followers.
The Philippine leader and his immedi-
ate associates in the insurrection ac-
cepted exile and over s500,000 at the
hands of Spain as an inducement to
cease their rebellions.
They went to China; but they were
brought back to the Philippines on
board United States warship. Agui-
naldO received from Admiral Dewey
several thousand stands of arms and
was put ashore as an alley of the Uni
ted States in war against Spain. The
insurgent leader and his chiefs have
forfeited their lives.
Should the United States return the
Philippines to Spain Aguinaldo and his
fighting followers must be surrendered
to death or taken away by the United
States, and the American commission
ers feel that transplanting them would
beras severe toward them as it would
be impracticable from the point Of
view of the United States. Territory
to shelter them is felt to be necessary
in the Philippines.
The entire group might not be neces-
seaiy III 'HiS pulPooc, Shouiu tHen the
United States retain Luzon as their
place of refuge? To do this would be to
take the most valuable portion of the
archipelago. an act which might fur
nish a basis for the dual charge OF
greed in taking the best and of cow
ardice in eyading responsibility for the
remainder. The American commits
sioners have been unwilling to place
tho United States in such position.
Continued on page 2.)