The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-23

Paris. Nov. 22.-The Spanish peace
commissioners last night telegraphed to
Madrid the substance of the United
States memorandum presented yester-
day, and late yesterday evening they
were discussing it among themselves.
AS late as l o'clock this morning, a
Spanish commissioner affirmed that his
colleagues did not know what 10 do
regarding the American offer
There is a difference of opinion among
unofficial people near the commissions,
bat the prediction is made that Spain
Will decline the American offer OF
money; that she will refuse to cede The
Philippines, and viii say to the United
States: You may take the archipelago,
because you have the power to do 50.
AS you advance We Will retire, protest
ing against greedy aggression. We Will
faithfully carry out our part OF the
pledges and leave Cuba and Puerto
Rico in your hands. You came here 10
engage in a discussion under The terms
OF the protocol, but you evidently
meant, when drawing uD that docu-
ment TO provide d conference in which,
though we differ, man to man, you pro-
posed to announce, at the proper time,
what you will do whether we agree 10
ii or object. Such an attitude robs the
conference Of a negotiatiye character,
and sets up the United States as a
dominant power, whose first purpose
is to listen, but whose ultimate deter
mination is to do its own Will.
AS a matter of fact, Senor Montero
Rios is reported to have used virtually
such language and arguments as the
foregoing.
He said more, even indicating high
degree of eXasperation at The American
offer of $20 600, 600. His RIanner, no less
than his words, betrayed his repug-
nance. His display of feeling and ut
terances, however, are not wholly aD-
proved by his Spanish colleagues, who
did not hesitate to say as much after
yesterdays session.
Utterances later by a Spaniard of i'm
(portance, whose name IS Withheld for
the present, indicates another lihe cf
action, a treaty of cession of the Phil
ippines.
Suppose said the speaker N cues
ton, that Spain says to the UnIred
States: We are exhausted. We lave
no funds with which to continue the
war We do not want TO continUa 1t,
and we cannot. You serve US With an
ultimatum. We must submit II your
power. Prepare your treacy, and when
you want US to sign, we Will sign.
We must bend to physical force.
You have the Antilles. and YOU
will possess the Philippines as con-
quest from a helpless people. We yield,
but we decline S20000. 200 for property
on which cur valuation was not asked
nor respected. You have your will. We
trust YOU win not continue the war
upon our hel0lessness, because, for
sooth, we decline your $50, 600, 900. Surely
this waiver by us of your money will
not provoke a further use Of arms
against Spain.
" We sign, we cede, we are dumb. Tt
is finished, and we may be permitted to
retain the privilege Of assuring our
people and our national creditors that
we at least have not stolen and re sold
territory we had pawned.
Should Spain cede by treaty, or, on
the other hand, should she refuse and
break off negotiations here, her pro-
tests will embody some such declara-
ton as this. AS against such senti-
ment, il is argued that the business
in hand is work for grown men, and
that it would be childish folly to refuse
$40, 100000, and that the Spanish gov
ernment could not justify such a re-
fusal before the Spanish people or the
public creditors of Spain, a deliberate
throwing away of $40 600, 000 in addi-
tdon to the loss of the Philippines.
Last night the Spanish commissioners
sent the American proposition by
special messenger to Madrid, where it
win arrive tomorrow. 1t is felt that
the --anish government must now an
swer the American ultimatum, but as
it is not likely that the answer of Mad
rid will arrive tomorrow in time for
the commissioners to formulate their
reply to the Americans by the after
noon, it is probable that the joint meet
ing viii be deferred from tomorrow to
a daY later in The week.