Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-17
WANTS ARBITRATION.
Spain Proposes to Leave the
Meaning of the Protocol to
the Arbitrator.
MATTEROF BUYING THOSE ISLANDS

Uncle Sam Apparently Willing to Give
Money for Them, but How Much Is Not
Decided Further Peace Negotiations
Go Over to saturday-Home Market
Club Finds Trouble for Protection in
Territorial Expansion.
Washington, Nov. 1.-THE meeting Of
the peace commissioners at Paris was
about as was expected here-the two
commissions simply coming together so
that the Spanish rejoinder to/the last
United States presentation might be
delivered to our commission. Then ad-
joUrrment was taken To Saturday. The
only thing heard here Of Importance as
to the Spanish rejoinder is a proposal
to arbitrate the Interpretation of the
words of the protocol -'shGH determine
the control. disposition and government
OF the Philippines" That was the state
ment cabled to the press from Paris,
With a reiteration Of what has been
the talk there for a week or more-that
Spain would not give up sovereignty in
the Philippines without handsome
payment.
Argument i'm Favor of SPANS Proposal.
\ later cable from Paris says: In
signifying their willingness TO submit
third party for construction the Span
ish commissioners urged that as there
is obviously a difference of opinion re-
Garding the phrase the control, dis
position and government Of the Phil
iDpines." possibly the result of misun-
derstanding, the Spaniards should no
more be asked to surrender their view
tcan the Americans to surrender theirs.
The memorandum points out that
~ Il
by arbitration on the contending views,
to which the Spanish commissioners are
quite ready to submit. The latter de-
clare that they have no idea of suggest
ing arbitration as to the main issue
which touches the national honor of
both sides-but they are willing TO ac-
ccpt exterior aid to clear the path of
negotiation.
Arbitration VIII Re Rejected.
1T is safe to say that the American
commissioners viii not consent to in
woke exterior aid to construe the terms
of their own protocol. Another part of
the Spanish memorandum fatty asserts,
upon the authority Of NJ. CambOn's re-
ports Of the protocol negotiations be-
tween Washington and Madrid through
him, that President Mckinley at no
time objected to SPANS reservation of
her sovereignty in the Philippines. This
American record on the same subject.
The American commissioners hold that
the protocol itself was born OF Spain's
attempt to restore her Philippine SOW
ereiGnty, though the Spanish memoran-
DUN squarely challenges the contention.
Don- Ash ~ some Questions.
The Spanish memorandum also asks
why. if the United States objected to
SPANS reservation of sovereignty, they
did not plainly say so in the protocol
and leave no room for argument. 1t
asks why Judge Days note of Aug. 10
did not clearly declare that the United
States would not recognize such reser-
walton. and that the protocol was nee
essary to prevent a misunderstanding
on that point
We Are Not Averse to Buying.
But it seems that the administration
here Is not avcrse to paying Spain some
thing for the Philippines. II is stated
that up to this point the discussion at
Paris having touched on principle. there
has been no attempt To name exact fig
ures in relation To- the amount of money |
that might be paid to Spain by the Unit |
ed States on account of the Philippines. |
As to the amount which will be offered |
to Spain, the officials here are mute, |
but II Is believed to lie somewhere be- |
tween S2O.CCO.OOO and S40OC0,0O0. Our
commissioners do not look for an un- |
conditional rejection of our offer. but |
believe there viii be an attempt on the |
part # the Spanish commissioners 10 |
secure a liberal increase Of the amount |
named.