The times., 1898-12-09
Peace With Spain.

we Snall De Iofced 10 ADOPT IN the END.
Peace With Spain.
Finally we have the decisive news
| from Paris that the Peace Treaty be-
! tween the United States and Spain has
been concluded, and that nothing more
| remains TO be done but TO sign it. Our
| information is that, at the last, the
Spaniards have won a minor victory in
their successful refusal to consider mat
ters such as the cession of one of the
Caroline Islands for use as a cable sta
ton. and generally in their contention
not to discuss any matter not definites
circumstances they are not to be
blamed. 1t is hard enough that they
are compelled to surrender all claim to
Spanish sovereignty in Cuba, Porto
Rico. and the Philippines. To be sure,
! it is of vital importance that we should
have a landing station in the Caroline
group. That matter should have
been included in the list of conditions
precedent notified to the enemy through
NJ. Cambon. Since IL was not it must
beIpostponed and take its chances in
the future Of diplomatic negotiations.
When the net result at Paris is con-
sidered, in contrast with what the Ad-
the time the protocol was formu-
lated under the advice of Mr. Ed
munds and Monsignor Ireland, the
country has reason to feel fairly well
satisfied. Then, President Mckinley
did not think to secure any greater ad-
vantage in the far Pacific than would
be involved in the permanent posses
sion of Manila and adjacent territory
sufficient to form comfortable naval
and coaling station. Then it was de-
signed to recognize the influence in
America which was interested in the
Philippine bonds, and in the monopoly
in the archipelago enjoyed by the Span
ish religious orders. Hence the national
necessity for an American cable to the
Philippines was not anticipated and did
not occur to minds committed to the
relegation of nearly all the territory TO
Spain.
But American public opinion forced
the Administration to change its atti-
tude and policy. and to make demands
upon the conquered which had never
been intended previously. These de-
mands have been enforced by our Peace
Commission. with ability and success.
Its members are all the more to be COM
mended, because they have had to fight
a perfectly logical position assumed by
the other side, which was that the pro-
tocol in no sense included demand for
the surrender of Spain's sovereign
rights in the Philippine archipelago.
They have acted and trumphed un-
that of short-lived Administration.
They have obeyed the will of a great
nation determined that no territory
over which the Stars and Stripes had
once been raised should revert 10 its
former tyrant.
In doing this they have done well. 1t
may be that when the treaty is made
public, its terms will disclose chance
for the bond shark syndicate to come in
under a clause guaranteeing TO the cit
izens of each country compensation by
their own government for claims
against the other. But we need not
cross that bridge until we come to it,
and, if the treaty should prove to cover
the nefarious designs of the elements
which were potent in arranging the pro-
tocol, 1t is encouraging to think that the
same public sentiment which raised Mr..
McKinley's demands from coaling sta
tion to an empire will be potent enough
to defeat any dishonest deal that may
be secreted under the text of the articles
of settlement.
OF one thing at least we are assured
by our news from Paris: The Philip
pines, Porto Rico and Guam are ours,
and Cuba is free. That should be con-
sidered a good years work for any
country.