The evening times., 1898-11-04

The expected rejection by the Spanish
Peace Commissioners Of the American
proposition, has encouraged that acci-
dental citizen, Mr.. Carl Schurz. who
came TO this country because his native
land would not tolerate him. He and
the little clique of men of foreign birth
or sympathies have renewed their
strife Of words for the relegation of the
Filipinos to the tender mercies of their
former oppressors. Since il has be-
come troublesome to reach an agree
ment with the eXacting Spaniards, who
seem TO think they Were the yictors in
the war, Mr.. Schurz finds the easiest
solution to be the abandonment of our
duty and our desires, as well as our
advantages. which happen to go to-
gether in this case. He offers no new
reasons why we should rellnquish what
all the world regards as one of the best
gifts Of the gods to this people, merely
repeating that if We owe a duty To the
inhabitants Of the Philippines-which
he denies, not having the American
conscience-we owe higher duty TO
ourselves, which is quite in line with
his instructive notions Of life. Since the
great body Of the American people
have already heard all he has to say on
the subject and have disagreed with
him both as to our duty and our bene-
fits, it is not probable they will be in
duced to recede because difficulties in
the way Of Spanish consent present
themselves. The American people are
used to the mastery Of difficulties-that
is one Of the things that have strength
ened and developed them.
The attitude of Spain is of much less
consequence than the American friends
and beneficiaries of that nation pretend
to think. II would be pleasant to have
a treaty tc which both parties could
affiX their names with a feeling that it
is reasonable and that we have been
generous. With almost any other ma
tion to deal with, we could effect such
a treaty; but il is prohibited by the
very nature Of the Spanish race Moth
ing short of a complete triumph in the
field and the American submission to
the severest conditions could make
Spain happy; and in the present cir
cumstances only an unreasonable sum
OF money can make her agree to
treaty unless she finds a refusal viii
mean harder terms. If we do not in
tend TO contribute a large sum to her
aoffers, it is idle to prolong the negotia
GoT.s. The pnly rational course is to
decide exactly what we shall offer.
with the information that we shall
withdraw from the conference If it is
rejected
This victorious nation sent its repre-
sentatives to Paris with instructions
covering most of the points that could
be raised. The first of these was that
there should be no question of the Gu
ban debt. That was the first subject
raised by the Spaniards, who were told
that our Commissioners were powerless
20 discuss it. Nevertheless, for month
the Spaniards refused to talk about
anything else, regardless of the pro-
tests and demands of the Americans.
Spain assumed the role of the con-
querOr at Paris exactly as at Havana.
After We had endured this for four
weeks, the Spanish Commissioners al
lowed our representatives to anDroach
the Philippine question but they re-
served the right-which was never con-
ceded-to reopen the Cuban debt dis
cussion, which they merely suspended
conditionally. From first TO last they
have directed the course of the pro-
ceedings. Our submission to this has
been mischievous. 1t has encouraged
them TO obstinacy and has favored the
impression in the minds of disinter-
ested observers that in spite of our
protestations we have really listened to
the arguments about the Cuban debt.
and in way, admitted it to be an open
question.
IT is time TO bring the business to a
close, and we should not allow Spain
the advantage of withdrawing. We
should ourselves, after making our last
proposition and receiving this Spanish