The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-21
SENSIBLE sPANIARDs.
sagasta's Policy of Procrastination
Denounced BY Business Men.


New York, Nov. PA dispatch to
the Tribune from Madrid says: The
meeting at Saragossa Of delegates from
ali the chambers OF. commerce of Spain
discloses deep and bitter dissatisfaction
at the delay of the Paris conference to
reach a. definite agreement as to the
terms OF peace. If anything could be
gained by Spain in attempting to
elude the American demands the bus
mess communities would offer no OBJ
jections; hut the chambers of COM
merce, which represent the practical
common sense Of the country, are
unanimous in denouncing the system
ATTIC obstruction and pTOcraStnauon
planned by Sagasta and carried out by
Montcro Rios. The merchants and
manufacturers consider the Philippines
already practically lost to Spain, and
urge that the only wise course is To
frankly acknowledge that fact and as
speedily IS possible 10 set the best
terms the Americans are willing to
give.
The president of the Barcelona cham
Der Of commerce even goes so far rs
to say that the pettifoSging technical
ties and bubbles with which Montero
Rios. as he understands, has opposed
the demands OF the United States COM
nissioners. ara likely 10 irritate the
-AalANA1NeA4S anu 4-ANl Ut AACS4QEAAA III
kinley to reconsider the indemnity he
may intend To offer in regard 10 the
Philippines.
These views. which accurately reflect
The convictions of the commercial and
mercantile communities. are shared by
the masses of the population. II Is the
funcuOnarieS. the mOnasJic orders and
the politicians who support Sagasta
and AIontero Rios in their suicidal OBJ
stinacy for retaining the Philippines.
Weyier, whose influence With the
army is greatly increasing, owing to
the discomfort Of the returned and IN
paid officers, and who IS now recog-
nized by Sagasta as an important fac
tor n the political situation. has
strongly urged The premier. with whom
ne IS now, singulsrly enough. on very
friendly terms. q stand 70 his guns on
MonterO Rios Interpretation of the
third article Of The protocol. even at
the risk Of renewing hoStilities. The
queen regent remains convinced that
ANY further obstruction 81 Paris is not
only useless but harmful.
Financial and commercial pressure
has been put upon S2EaSta, who is now
believed 70 have Instructed Montero
Rios to proceed 10 the discussion of
the amount OF Indemnity 70 be paid
by the United States in regard to the
Philippines. after having placed on rec
VI III llLAilAe1L4N EAALCSA Cs-lAA4SN lllC
American Interpretation OF article 3,
coupled with a declaration that Spain
yields solely to superior force. These
diplomatic instructions mean, in plain
English. that the Spanish commission
eTs at Paris win consent TO give up the
Philippines rather than have Spanish
seaports bombarded by an American
squadron, but will do so haughtily, as
insolently and sulkily as possible. Sa-
gasta is confident that Montero Rios
win carry out these instructions in
spirit and letter.
1t is impossible to conceal the fact
that animosity in official circles here
against the United States is more bit
ter now than during the war. This
feeling does not exist among the
masses of the people. Apprehension
prevails in financial circles lest the
childish ST less which Sagasta and
Montero Rios are about to manifest in
their manner Of yielding to the Ameri-
can demands, may induce the Wash
ington cabinet to cancel or diminish
the Philippine indemnity, in regard to
the amount of which the widest exag-
gerations are current. Forty million
dollars is considered the smallest sum
that can be proposed. In sanguine
quarters 500 100000, and even $500. 600,
00e, are spoken OF as the amount of the
l.