The Progress., 1898-11-19
BECOMES MORE LENIENT
UNITED STATES MAY NOT TAKE THE
PHILIPPINES, AFTER ALL.

Concessions Are Likely--PhiIippine Ques.
ton Must be Settled This Week.-The In.
structions Are Cab!cd to Paris--Treaty
Must be Ratified Before Congress Meets.
WAsH1NGToN.-Has the administra-
tons policy respecting the Philip
piner undergone change?
Territorial concessions, it is now re-
ported, may be made to Spain which
may result in the annexation of but
portion of the archipelago to the
United States. The matter has been
left to the judgment of the American
peace commissioners, who will embody
in a note to be delivered to the Span
ish commissioners this week the decl-
sion which they have arrived at, and
which was fully and carefully consid-
cred by the president and the men,
bers of his cabinet at Saturdays ses-
sion.
Just what has caused the hesitancy
of the administration with respect to
the annexation of the entire group can
not be ascertained at the transmission
of this dispatch, but there is no doubt
that such hesitaDcy exists, and it may
be due to developm ents in the inter
national situation, in which, however,
Spain does not in any way enter. Be-
sides, there is reason to believe that
the elections have had something to do
with the matter, but just to what ex-
tent it is impossible to learn.
The authorities are now saying that
there never has been any certainty
heretofore as to what would or what
would not be taken by the United
States, but that as matter of fact,
the American commissioners in Paris
have been merely feeling their way,
ascertaining the views of the Spanish
government and Spanish commission
ers as to the propriety Of transferring
the Philippines to the United States,
and the effect upon European inter-
vention, but the officials have been
carefully considering Lord Salisbury's
speech, indicating the seriousness and
gravity Of the step which the United
States was taking in annexing the en-
tire archipelago, and it was REFER ed
to the cabinet session Saturday.
Besides the question of the amount
Spain should be given in exchange for
the islands was under discussion Sat-
urday. The administration has in
structed the American commissioners
at Paris to bring the Philippine ques-
ton to head this week, as result
Of cabled report from Judge Day,
received Saturday morning, indicating
that the negotiations were not advanc-
ing as rapidly as the president de-
sires. The president thought it suf-
ficiently important to require the i'm
mediate consideration at special
cabinet meeting, called as soon as he
had received the cablegram, and at
this meeting the situation at Paris was
thoroughly discussed, to a general
agreement that the American commits
sioners should be advised that the
Spanish commissioners must be
brought to understand promptly that
they must definitely meet our demand
for the Philippines and accept or re-
ject it.
No formal ultimatum is to be given,
but the main question is to be settled
speedily SO that the only thing the
United States treats as open to dis
cussion, namely, the matter of COM
pensation, may be taken up for early
disposition.
The president has received the views
of every member Of the commission,
based upon the information they have
received and considered, and the argu-
ments submitted by the Spanish COM
missioners as to the policy the United
States should pursue respecting the
Philippines. From what could be
gathered, there is apparently some
personal difference of opinion, at least
among the commissioners, as to the
extent to which the United States
should 80 in taking territory in the
far East. 1t was reported that Sena-
tor Gray was opposed to acquiring any
territory in the far East except for a
coaling station, and that serious diff
ference had arisen between himself
snd the other commissioners, but this
is reported untrue.
The action of the president in call
ing for the views of the American rep
resentatives is considered highly sig
nifcant, and the authorities were
much averse to discussing them in any
way. But it was stated that the COM
missioAers had been informed that
the matter would be left to their judg-