The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-21
TERMS OR LOSE ALL.
,,.o ALTERNATIVE TO BE LAID
RrFORE SPANIARDs TODAY.

ynst accept a Sum of Money and
rvacuate the Philippines, or Lose
.,.o pbiIiupines by Conquest With
Do..iILy other Territory to In
aemuffy the United States for Adj
,,.ionnI Expense I'm War-NO Out
elders Know the sum offered.
noris Nov. 2O.-The Spanish peace COM
-.i.sioners have been notified that the
r-,ited States commissioners will be ready
!, treat with them in joint session to-
,o7row afternoon. Unless the spauiards
have an adequate reason for further de-
,.,. the two commissions will join in the
most important meeting thus far held.
The American commissioners, in writ
.sn communication, will declare that the
tbird article of the protocol regarding the
pbilippines is capable of only one fair
obstruction. that no arbitration is needed
h, elucidate its terms, and that the United
safes cannot admit any other power to
figure here purely as a lexicologist. They
vin maintain that the two commissions
are charged to determine whether Spain
or the United States shall in future own
the Philippines.
This will be accompanied by the clear
declaration that the United States will
possess the Philippines Following this
declaration, the American commissioners
will lay before the Spaniards two alter
natives:
Frst-To accept a sum of money from
the United States and to cede and evacuate
the Philippines.
second-To lose the Philippines to the
United States by conquest. with the possi-
blty of other territorial losses to indem-
nifty the United States for the added ex-
pense of conquest.
This communication may not be formally
designated as an ultimatum, but 1t will
lack naught of the conclusiveness indicated
by that word. This will be so plain that
the Spanish commissioners will scarcely
haggle for money on the first alternative
nor cherish any doubt of American action
under the second, should the first be de-
clned
No one here, except the American COM
missoners, knows how much will be ten
dered Spain as the cheapest and most hu-
name way of settling the difficulty. She IS
exceedingly anxious to escape the Philip
pine-debt and possibly the sum to be Of
fered may be determined by an analysis Of
that debt, which consists of $40 900 in
bonds on which she realized $36, 600 600. OF
the latter amount she is believed to have
expended some 100000 or S11 100000 in
fighting the United States and a part in
attempting to quell the Philippine insur-
Tection.
reasonable guess at the sum for ten
der would be $20000,O0O, thought it may fall
below that
Thes0uban question may come up again
tomorrow. The American commissioners
had thought the discussion on that point
1nished, but the Spanish commissioners
are reported to have declared last week
that the mortgages imposed by Spain on
the Cuban, as Well as on the Philippine rev.
enues, must not be impaired or questioned.
This would compel the American commits
sl0ners soon-and probably to-morrow-to
demand whether Spain means to repudiate
tne pain compact of the protocol to re-
mquish sovereignty over and title to Cuba.
Ihree weeks ago the Spanish commits
soners accepted the Cuban article in the
protocol without conditions, save that its
embodiment in the treaty should depend
ucles 10 the protocol.
recently, however, Spains representa-
yves have said that the Cuban matter has
oeen only temporarily passed and was stnl
10 allegiance