The record-union., 1898-10-30
Probable the Americans viii Demand the
Whole Archipelago.
Well Informed Persons Believe
Premier Sagasta Will Direct the
Spanish Commissioners to Sign
Treaty by Which the United
States Should Take the Islands
and Assume the Forty Million
Dollars Debt.

PARIS, Oct. 29.-While the Spanish
and American Peace Commissioners
now stand upon the Threshold of the
Philippine question, it seems probable,
in the light of this hour, that the
| United States will take over the entire
| archipelago. This view is the focus
point of the best unofficial opinion of
the trend of events, of the development
of impulses, Of the reasoning of men, of
the fixed landmarks to the crystal of
| conclusion.
| During the four days just past those
in touch with, though possibly not in
the confidence of the Commissioners,
have felt the concentration of tenden
cies toward the standpoint indicated
as likely to be occupied by the United
States Commissioners at Mondays ses-
| sions of the two commissions.
In 1897 Spain issued, by royal decree,
bonds in the sum of S4O,0OO,OOOO, to
which were pledged the revenues of the
Philippines, and to which the Spanish
national guarantee was added From
| these S40,000000 of obligations Spain
realized $36,OOOOOO in cash. These
$40,O0000O represent the Philippine
/
$500, 900, 600 of the so-called Philippine
and Spanish debt.
The conditions also differ. the Philip
pine debt having been created by royal
decree, because the archipelago was not
parliamentary colony, while the So
called Cuban debt was created by law.
The difference raised the question of
the responsibility of the Philippines
when removed from the sovereignty un-
der which its resources were pledged.
| Should the United States absorb the
Philippines, none but officials yet know
whether they would assume a part or
all of this debt, or more than the Phil
| ippine debt. The Americans have de-
clined to assume any of the Cuban
debt, because Cuba is not theirs: but
| in deposing Spain in the Philippines,
the Americans acquire the territory,
and it is believed there will be some
financial assumption sby the United
States.
At this point raises the question of
how much financial relief might com
pose Spain to her loss of the Philip
pines. Some well informed persons be-
lieve that Premier Sagasta has deter
mined to be rid of the Philippines. and
would direct his Commissioners to sign
| a treaty by which the United States
should take the islands and assume the
$4,000. 600 of debt This proposition
finds support in the Partisan press.
which to-day declares that resistance
is impossible, and that Spain should
abandon the archipelago.
There are Spaniards in Paris who in
| sist that, should the United States take
the Philippines without a large money
| consideration, Spain's commission
should return, and the nation. bidding
| its soldiers in Cuba and elsewhere TO
| again take up arms, achieve thus
glorious martyrdom to national honor.
In the contending currents the
| Spanish Commissioners are awaiting
the American declaration on Monday.
and they declare they cannot sign a
treaty of peace involving the loss of
the Philippines to Spain It is appre-
clated by Spaniards and Americans
allke that should no treaty result here
! hostllltles Will be continued. and both
s1des clearly understand that in such
! event the American fleet would imme-
| dlately possess the Philippines beyond
question, and without money considera-
tlon TO Spain. The Canaries would then
| be an OBJECT of interest to the United
states, and possibly other Spanish pos
sessions.
Inc American Commissioners to-day
| received from Washington full advices
In response TO the submission of their
lndlvldual views regarding the Philip
pine questions and two sessions were
held to consider these replies.
| WILL TAKE ALL THE PHILIP
! PINES.
NEW YORK, Oct. pa special to
the Herald" from Washington saws:
President Mckinley is convinced that
there is no way for the United States
to escape the responsibility of taking
all OF the Philippines. He has arrived
at this conclusion after mature delib-
GRAFTON. He at first favored keeping
nothing more than a military and
naval base, and thought that the Unit
ed States should in no event retain
more than the island of Luzon. When
the American Peace Commissioners
left for Paris it was not contemplated
that they should demand from the
| Spanish Government more than the
| absolute cession of this one island to
| the United States and a reversionary
! interest in the other islands of the
group. 1t has been found. however.
that there We're many practical diff
culties in the way of such a solution,
not the least of them being the evi-
dent impossibility of the Spanish re-
| establishing authority over the re-
naming islands without prolonged
and bloody struggle with the insur-
gents.
Information, coupled with the opin-
| ion of military and naval command
ers familiar with the Philippine stu
alton, led the President to believe that
| Admiral Dewey's destruction of the
| Spanish fleet in Manila Bay and Cen
eral Merritt's capture OF Manila an
initiated Spanish sovereignty in the
| islands.
| The President has been deluged with
| letters from all parts of the United
States urging that United States SOW
ereignty should be continued. In this
| same line the Presidents recent trip
was a revelation to him and the mem
! bers of his Cabinet who accompanied