The herald., 1898-10-27
In the Peace Work in Progress
at Paris
COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY RETICfNT
But There Reason Believe That the Troublesome Philip
pine Question Has at Last Been Reached-Spansh
Cabinet Crisis May Delay Negotiations

! that the spanish cause Ii III sucH sndpc that
the Spanish government has nothing to lose
and everything to gain by any change that
can be brought about. However that may
be. it is the opinion of the State Department
officials here that there is little danger OF
the situation in Paris becoming SO acute
as to Justify an abandonment OF the work
of the commission on the ground that the
commissioners themselves are in physical
danger. 1t is confidently believed that with
the change of Cabinet in France the present
disorder will subside and normal conditions
will be restored.
THE SPANISH PROGRAM
It is always possible that the Spanish
commissioners in despair over their failure
to force the Cuban debt upon the United
States in any shape may break off the ses.
sions. but this is not regarded as probable.
1t is expected the Spanish program is to
trump up as many points of difference as
possible, relying upon the sympathy to be
excited among European nations by their
dispute of each point.
This being the Spanish policy, it is ex-
pected that when the commission takes up
the subjects of the Philippine Islands and
the coaling station in the Ladrone Islands
there will be many hair-splitting objections
interposed by the Spanish to propositions
from the Americans, just as many references
or attempts at reference to Madrid, and
lust as loud protests over each little point
by the Spaniards at the uncompromisng
attitude of the Americans as in the case of
Cuba.
No one knows officially just what the ex-
tent of the United States claim will be as
to the Philippine Islands. Admiral Dewey
hos a much higher opinion of the Philip
pine people and their capacity for self
government than is generally supposed. He
has represented to the American commits
sioners that the Philippines of the northern
proup, meaning by that, first, the people
on the island of Luzon, and after that in
order, Cebu, Panay, Leite, Mandora and
Samar, are, as a rule, intelligent, practical
and. a, most surprising statement, far bet
ter qualified for self-government than the
inhabitants of Cuba. Admiral Dewey is as
familiar with the qualifications of Cubans
in this respect as almost any naval officer,
having had personal experience with the
people, so that his statement is bound to
have weight with the American commission
ers. But with all this, he has made no rec
ommendation as to what should constitute
the maximum or minimum demands OF the
Americans, and their demands, therefore,
are likely to be based upon their original
instructions, qualified by any change OF
opinion the President may have expert
enced as a result of his western trip.
SPARRING FOR TIME
The Spanish commissioners have been in
structed to delay as much as possible their
acquiescence in the refusal Of the Americans
to accept any part Of SPANS Cuban debt,
but to do nothing to give the American
commissioners ground for breaking of the
negotiations. The Spanish commissioners
declare that circular note will be addressed
to the powers detailing the serious conse-
quences which the assumption OF the Cuban
debt would have upon the solvency OF Spain.
Having done this, they will bow to the in
evitable, because they have been given clearly
to understand that the United States will
not 60 step further with the negotiations
until she is cleared of the Cuban debt ques-
ton and complete evacuation of the island |
is positively promised for January l, 1899.
If the answer from Spain tomorrow is af-
frmative, the American commissioners will
make known their intentions of the United |
States regarding the recognition of the Phil |
ippine debt and the retention of the archi |
pelago by the republic. /
The French yellow book today fully con-
firms the supposition that no official commu-
nication passed between the United States
md Spain, except through French chan
nels, until the Paris Peace Commissioners
met.
What is not generally known is that
Spain has used French diplomacy several
times to elicit from the American govern.
ment, with no success SO far, an admission
Of the contention that the preliminary peace
protocol did not surrender any part of Span
ish rights of sovereignty over the Philip
pines or prepare the way for such surren-
der.
The State Department at Washington has
either declined to reply or has stiffly de-
,lared that the status quo must be main
tained until the peace treaty has been
signed
Up to the present not a single Spanish
paper has even limited at the possibility of
4 rupture in the negotiations or renewal of
The war. In fact, except in financial cir
lies, Madrid politicians consider the peace
commission of secondary importance.
Political complications in Spain have
arisen most unpleasantly for Sagasta, when
ne certainly required peace at home to be
n position to face seriously the turn the
negotiations had taken at Paris.
He caused Silvela and Polavieja to be
sounded on their acceptance of office. Both
'eplied that they were not disposed to as
'ume the grave responsibility of change
If government. and policy in the midst of
regulations with America. This, they said,
would naturally be followed with the resig-
,ation of the Commissioners in Paris, there
~ delaying the peace treaty.
II is an open secret that Montero Rios
would not have remained in office if Sagasta
md the Liberal party had made room for
'ilvela or Polavieja. il