The Elbert County tribune., 1898-11-10
sPANIARDs SAID mo-
WON'T PART WITH THE PHILIP
PINES.
rhsy Present . Long Listef Reasons why
the Islands Should Not BE Surrendered
Further Consultations

Paris, Nov. 4.-The Spanish commits.
fioners, in the course OF two-hours
session OF the Peace Conference to-dny,
fatty refused to accept Mondays prop
osition by the Americans to take the
entire Philippine group and TO relm-
burse Spain for her pacific" expendi-
lures there.
This negative action was expected.
The Spanish commissioners had also a
number OF positive declarations, which
filed some thirty-sevcn sheets OF a
typewriter presentment. In this state
ment the Spaniards held that the Unit
ed States had no ultimate rights In
the Philippine islands. and could have
none save by the consent of Spain In
these negotiations and upon terms sat
isfactory to her.
According to the Spanish contention
In the formal statement. the United
States entertained no thought of annex
ing the Philippines when the protocol
was signed. or it would have been ex-
pressed In the protocol as clearly as the
conditions regarding the cession OF ter
ritory In the Antilles and the Orient
NJ. Cambon, before the signature of
the protocol, to which reservation the
the presentment alleged-a cable mes
sage clearly setting forth that the main
tenance OF Spain's authority over the
Philippines should not be affected by
the protocol to which reservation the
United States made at that time no
protest or objection.
This dispatch to NJ. Cnmbon, as the
Spanlards claimed to-day, embodied
also the view that the United States
had no valid basis for claims In the
Archipelago
1t was further held to-day by Senior
Rios and his colleagues that the capitu-
laton of Manila. having occurred after
the signing Of the protocol, and thus
after the suspension of hostilities, was
invalid.
With all this for ground work. the
Spanlards made their first positive
move against the Americans. and 1t con-
stituted their counter proposition.
They charged upon the United States
wrongful appropriation of public
moneys belonging TO Spain by seizing
the tariff duties at Manila, and they
formally demanded the return of these
moneys In the sum nearly one million
dollars.
On the same premises the United
Stntes was to-day declared 10 have
made and held as prisoners the Span
lsh troops at Manila in violation of In
ternaiional law, because 1t was done
after the suspension OF hostilities un-
der the protocol A further charge was
that. by the Imprisonment of the Span
ish troops at.Manila, the United States
had prevented Spain from quellng the
insurrcction and had thus contributed
TO the Violence against Spain after the
cessation Of hostllities.
Iu-day's Spanish presentment also
cited the refusal of the Americans to
consider the Cuban debt. on the ground
that II was not sanctioned In the proto-
col aud demanded an adherence to this
as n precedent to the discussion OF the
Philippines, regarding cession of
which the Spanish commissioners held
the protocol TO make no mention.
In support of these assertions. argu-
mcnts and demands. the Spanish pre-
ienlment lnvokes Spaln's record in the
correspondence by mail and telegraph,
though 1t is not known unofiicially
whether the Spaniards produced the
message said to have been sent from
Madrid TO NJ. Cambon, at the time the
protocol was signed. in which. 1t was
Affirmed to-day, Spain reserved her
Philippine sovereignty.
The presentmcnt was read by Inter
preter Ferguson, being rendered from
the Spanish in which 1t was written.
Into English. At the close OF the read
ing the Americans said they wished to
have the Spanish statement rendered
Into written English for more careful
consideration and an adjournment was
tnken to Tuesday.
This evening the Spanlards affect TO
believe that the Americans had planned
TO develop the spirit of their Philip
pines demands before the American
elections. but they decline to say wheth-
er they expect casler terms after the
elction.
The entire clerical force of tbe
American commission will be busy tile
greater part of tonight In handling the
Spanish prescntmeni. and the council to
the commissioners will at the same time
examine 1t with n view to to-morrow's
private session of the American COM
mission. when n response Will be
formulated.
II may again be asserted on the high.
est authorlty-as bearing ON the Span-
ish argument-thnt when the protocol
was signed there was no understand
Ing, verbal or otherwise. which the mo-
tocol does not show forth. Nor have
the American commissioners at amy
time, on the other hand. held or be-
lieved that the protocol determined
anything against SPANS sovereignty in
the Philippines
The American representatives have
however. had and doubtless will hold
that the protocol. meant 10 provide and
does provide for a decision by the
Paris conference regarding the owner
ship OF the Philippines.
In this connection, too. the Ameri-
cans will undoubtedly cite the fact
that originally the protocol contained
the word possess instead of .'dispo-
sltion," the latter having been substi-
tuted at Nj. Cambon's request. ana In
Difference to Spanish sensibIlItles.
The original reading will unqucstion-
ably be recurred to now as Indicating
the mental attitude of the American
signers OF the protocol toward Ameri-
can possession of the Philippines. This
line of reasoning naturally will include
the question of the precedent which
the Spaniards say was created by the
refusal of the United States to consid-
or the Cuban debt because 1t was not
mentioned In the protocol.
1t is possible that the American COM
missioners may finally concur with the
Spanish contention that the capitulation
of Manila. coming after the signing of
the protocol, was invalid.
In-that event the Americans may cite.
as m offset to the tariff duties collect
ed. their own expenditure in admins
tering the government of Manila and
enforcing order. They may also ask
IL Spain wishes the insurgcnt Gordon of
the city and the insurgent control of
the waterworks re-establlshed as step
toward the restoration of the status quo
ante. which the Spaniards declare was
broken by the Americans.
Finally. Spain may he asked to con-
slider whether. instead of being pris-
oners OF the United States. the Span
ish troops nj Manila We're not more ex-
nctly refugees within American protec-
lion. Rnt. however the cnntcntInns