The age-herald., 1898-11-16
Breaking Off of Negotiations Re-
 garded As Certainty.
CABINET MEME
Spanish Government Announces
 missioners in the Stand Regard to PhiIippini
 tain Present
tain Present Attitude.

Madrid, November 15.-According to semi-official statement here the Spanish | peace commissioners will maintain their present attitude in regard to the Philip 1 pines, and will certainly not accept the l conditions of the United States. Further, l if the discussion does not return to the 1 limits of the protocol as viewed by the l Spaniards the Spanish commissioners have l decided in spite of contrary reports not to I sign treaty of peace. It is also learned l from the same sources that complete ac- l cord prevails between the Spanish govern l ment and its peace commissioners Refusal is Irrevotaole Paris, November 15.-The Spaniards de- clare that their refusal to sign a treaty based on any Philippine terms thus far suggested by the United States is irrevoca- ble. They say that they do not and cannot view the taking of the Philippines as any, thing else than wanton ravishment of their possessions unless it is accompanied by a financial consideration of appreciable size.
 Therefore the turn of events in the peace cnference depends upon the purpse or the willingness of the American com
  Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines is now clung to by the Spaniars chiefly as a means to obtain financial relief if possible It is also purely a matter of money now, if the amount be large enough to absolve the Spanish government from possible charges by their creditors that the collat- eral has been given away Persons near to spain's heaviest creditors believe that Sho fha pine debt or pay Spain its face amount in cash the Spaniards would sign. This view is new in the quarters where it now prevails, because the time has been required for the spaniards to become con- vinced that the American commissioners do little if any diplomatic jockeying, and that their final attitude may be found iden- tical with their first.
 If they have not already done so, the Spanish commissioners will ultimately ad- wise the Americans that they must not per- init any controversy as to the binding char acter of the mortgage, resting upon the rev. enues of the Philippines to pay the so-called Cuban debt Tenacious adherence to this claim would set up on the Spanish side an utimatum under which no treaty would be signed which did not stipulate that the Philippine revenues should pay the Philip pine debt. In such event the Americans would probably claim that the Philippine debt of 4OoO0,OOO amounts to $2O,OoO,oOO in gold of which about $11 000, GOO has been em- ployed in fighting the United States, leav- ing less than $1o,OoO,0Oo chargeable in gold to the Philippines. Indeed, the United States would doubtless maintain that even the reduced amount was used in fighting the Filipinos and object to the Spanish con- clusion that 1t is fair charge against the Americans.
 Trouble will arise, however, before that stage is reached, as the Spanish commits soners will undoubtedly inform the Ameri- cans that the latter have no right to exact a schedule of Spain's expenditures any explanation regarding the destination of tine money secured on these loans.
 Anxiety at Washington
 Washington, November 15-(special)- l There is evident anxiety in official circles l tonight over the prospect of spain's com missioners withdrawing from the peace ne- | gotiations tomorrow. The cabinet took a | sombre view of the situation today, and i some of the members did not hesitate to | say after adjournment that they feared a | rupture tomorrow or very soon thereafter. | HIS IS the urSt tiiue that the duHunistrd- ton has been willing to admit such de- l nouement. No official report was received | today or yesterday, but several unofficial | telegrams from the members have given | the president some idea of what might be | expected. The situation is very grave; | for as soon as one of the party concerned | withdraws the countries are at once on a | war footing again.
 One member of the cabinet said that | ping begun again. though 1t seemed incred- ible that Spain would enter upon such a suicidal policy.
 Senator Morgan says there will have to be an extra session of congress early after the 4th of March, as 1t will be impossible to legislate on all matters coming before the short session. As chairman of the Nicaraguan canal committee he says he will press it until congress shall have acted upon it. He says that 80 per cent. of the people of this country are in favor of the measure, and that it will be built by this government.
 Senator Morgan also predicts that the senate will not reject peace treaty if sub- mitted to it. for to do so would be to throw this country again into an attitude of active war.
 Con. Merriam's Opinion
 San Francisco Novemer 15-Major-Gen- eral Merriam is quoted as saying: "It would not surprise me to see that the negotiations heen broken off If the work of the commits I