The record-union., 1898-12-04
Each Studying His Own Hand, and Waiting
for His Opponents Lead.
Judge Day, President of the Amer
lean Commission, Confident the
Treaty Will be Signed This
Week, Though Much Remains TO
be Done, Only Three Articles So
Far Having Been Accepted.

PARIS, Dec. 3.-There was no joint
session of the Peace Commissions To-
day, but the Americans held a three
hours meeting.
The report from Berlin that Germany
is negotiating for the purchase Of the
Caroline Islands is confirmed from sew
eral quarters, although Count Won Mum
ter-Ladenburg, the German Embas-
sador here, informed a correspondent
of the Associated Press that he knew
nothing at all about the matter. The
American Commissioners are inclined to
believe the report, and it is looked upon
as explaining the reluctance OF the
Spaniards to give the Americans an
answer in reference to the Carolines,
as we'll as to the question of religious
liberty there, and the latest develop
ments confirm the report that the Span
iards have been instructed not to yield
on these until they have made a good
bargain.
The position of the Commissions,
says an American gentleman, is the
game as two card players, each study
ing his own hand and waiting for his
opponents lead.
In spite of this temporary halt in the
negotiations, and contrary to general
opinion, Judge Day, President of the
American Commission, believes the
treaty will be signed next week, but
great deal of work must be done be-
fore the treaty is ready for the sigma
lures, as after ten weeks Of negotla-
tions the only articles accepted by the
Commissions are the three leading ones,
providing for the cession of the Span
ish colonies, and those only in principle
and not in language.
The adjournment to-day was at Judge
Days request, as the long session de-
veloped a divergence of opinion. Had
the Joint session been held the Amer1-
cans would not have entered 1t as
united body. The exact nature or the
differences of opinion cannot be ascer-
talned, but it is believed some of the
Commissioners are in more yielding
mood toward Spain than their col
leagues
There is no doubt that the Spaniards
on Monday will report the arrival OF
their Governments instructions, the
absence of which caused Fridays ad-
journment.
Among on-lookers there is a skepti-
cism concerning these instructions. It
is believed that they constitute dip
lomatic scapegoat put forward by the
SpaniarCs to cover the delay necessary
to them.
The question of a coaling station of
the United States in the Caroline ISL
ands is not likely to prove a serious
stumbling block The Americans have
rot made it one of the demands, whose
granting is essential to the conclusion
of the treaty of peace. Some of them
are enthusiastic in its favor, and none
of them think Germany's negotiations
for the Carolines are likely to lead to
complications between Germany and
the United States
In French official circles it is asserted
that under the Pope's award of 1880
Germany already possesses certain
rights in the Carolines which would
prevent Spain from selling us one Of
those islands. But this is a matter
which has already been investigated by
the Americans, who find that Germany S
rights refer to certain fishing privileges
of German citizens, and their right to
a coaling station to be agreed upon mu-
tualIy between Spain and Germany.
All this was set out in our foreign
relations book of 1885, and there is
nothing to prevent Spain from selling
us any islands she chooses. She un-
doubtedly desires to sell the group, and
might be willing to transfer them to
the United States. if her price is paid.
Americans familiar with the question
consider that the Philippines and La
drones furnish all the coaling bases nee
essary.
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS NOT
DISCOURAGED.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-While it is
beginning to be recognized that the
chances are against the conclusion of
the work of the Peace Commissioners in
Pasis fn time for the Americans to take
the steamer of the 10th for home, the
officials are not discouraged at the out
look. knowing that the delay in the
proceedings of the commission admits
ofa reasonable explanation OF some
point
For example, there has been some
difficulty in reaching an agreement as
to the disposition of the public prop
erty in the Philippines, including war
material, guns and stores. 1t seems
however. likely that the Commissions
will agree to adopt a plan for the uls-
position of these claims, based upon the
procedure that governed in the case
of the Spanish properties in Porto Rico
1t will not be necessary, it is hoped, 70
send a joint evacuation commission 70
Manila, as was done in the evacuation
of Porto Rico, but simply to adopt the
plan laid down by the Porto Rlean
Commission.
1t is surmised that the American
Commissioners have been much more
concerned by Spanish overtures looking
TO the allowance of exceptional advan-
faees for Spanish commerce with Cuba
and Porto Rico than about other mat
ters of negotiation which really seemed
90 be of larger Importance The ex-
Dlanation of this is the realization on
the part of the Commissioners that any
agreement on their part to concede such
7 specfaI advantages might not only
arouse the opposition of the commercial
classes of the United States, but bring
upon the United States Government q
series of demands from the great COM
merciaI nations of the world with
which we have treaty relations for the