The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-18
SPANISH COMMISSION
GETS SHARP RET0RT

OEIS Sf1AhF hElU
LONDON, Oct. 1S.-The Paris CORE
spondent Of the Times says: At the
sitting Of the Peace Commission this
(Monday) afternoon the American
commissioners officially-and it would
seem definitely-rejected the idea OF
accepting sovereignty over Cuba for
the United States. The Spanish COM
missioners thereupon remarked that
Spain, having abandoned such SOW
ereignty under pressure Of the United
States, and the United States having
denied that the sovereignty henceforth
belongs to her, Cuba is de facto in a
state of independence, as an 1nter1nls-
sion Of sovereignty cannot be viewed III
any other light.
The American commissioners reJo1n-
ed that, without accepting sovereignty.
the United States considered itself
deputed to maintain security for all
the inhabitants, that they would not
fail to Introduce and support, and they
would do all that was necessary 10 put
the island in q state Of normal organi-
cation. TO be transformed at the earl1-
est moment into a legal regularity
satisfactory for the security OF all.
L
ers with what seems striking logic,
promptly replied that by the fact Of
the declaration just made to them ana
of the United States undertaking TO
restore legality, order and security, the
United States was invested with
sovereignty and consequently could not
refuse to accept the consequences OF
such sovereignty, seeing that they adj
rnittedly could not tolerate the relapse
into anarchy of an island placed I'M
der their supervision and direction.
Notwithstanding these striking ob1ec-
tions, the Americans persisted in their
refusal and officially declared that the
United States cannot be con-
sidered to be invested by sovereignty
and they could not deYiate from this
definite declaration. According TO I'M
pressions l have been able to collect in
various circles, unconnecteo win either
side. but entitled to weight, the refusal
Of the Americans is not Of a positive
character as would seem to result from
the formal declaration mentioned. The
reason given me is this:
The United States have declared that
they made war not Of conquest, put
of liberation and order, because they
could not allow the propagation at
their very doors of a state of things
which was, in their eyes, blow TO the
cause of humanity and CIVILIZATION
They, therefore, made public declara-
ton that the war was not one or con-
quest, and they now consider that by
agreeing to be invested with soVer-
eighty of Cuba they would give them
selves the appearance OF having con-
uuered the island for territorial ag-
grandiZement-
They refuse to give themselves the
appearance of a cOnquering nation.
Hence they positively refuse to accept
that charge of sovereignty which would
be inconsistent with the character OF
humanitarian disinterestedness and es-
sential TO the honor of America
The United States comprehend that
their firm refusal to accept sovereignty
does not exclude obligation, on lne
footing Of justice and equity, to make
Spain real concessions as to financial |
burdens which would be crushing II she |
were saddled with the whole Cuban /
debt We may be certain that on this /
point the Americans will be less infieX- /
ible than on the people of society. The |
proof, I am told, that the United States |
are disposed to meet Spain in an equi-
table fashion is that the Spanish Com !
missioners, who would not at first ac- |
cept any invitation to dine with Gen |
eraI Horace Porter until the end of the
conference, have now accepted.
The Paris correspondent of the Daily |
Mail says: l hear that the peace prob |
lem viii soon be settled, the United |
States assuming the Cuban per cent !
loan of 1885, which was foated entirely /
for Cuban purposes, and rejecting the |
per cent loan of 1890.
A dispatch to the London News
Agency from Paris says: To-day
(Monday) the conference reached
crisis for the first time. Judge Day pre-
scented the demands of the American
Commission in threatening words. He
said that delay was the only object of
the Spanish Commissioners to saddle
the United States with the Cuban debt,
and would be tolerated no longer, as
the United States would neither assume
nor guarantee any part of the debt.
The Spaniards replied that this
placed Spain in position of repudiat-
ing or Of reducing the face value of the
Cuban bonds from 80 to so per cent,
paying only half the stipulated interest
on the reduced value. Before they
adopted either alternative they would
surrender to the United States the en-
tire Philippines.
Judge Day responed that the surren-
der of the Philippines would probably |
be demanded irrespective of the Cuban |
or any other debt.
This, to the Spaniards, the first in |
timation of the intentions of the United |
States as to the Philippines resulted in |
a whispered conference, followed by an |
adjournment in order to communicate |
with the Madrid Government. Judge |
Day said that President Mckinley had |
instructed him to demand the entire |
surrender of Porto Rico tomorrow |
(Tuesday).