The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-10
NEARING A CRUCIAL POINT
PROGRESS OF THE PEACE NEGOTI-
 ATIONS IN PARIS.

tuting of "DispOsition" for "Posses-
 sion" fin Protocol and Interesting
 Diplomatic Proceedings Leading to
 Signing of Protocol and Which Bear
 Strongly on the Negotiations at This
 Juncture.
 Paris, Nov. 9.-The joint session of the American and Spanish peace commis- sions which began at 2:15 p. m. and ended at p. m. was short because Se- nor Montero Rios and Judge Day con cured in the service of the American rejoinder upon the Spanish commission CTS without a formal reading of the paper, which would occupy many col umns in an ordinary newspaper, and an adjournment was taken until Satur day. It is quite safe to say that the Americans have made no new proposi- tions regarding the Philippines, but confined themselves to a discussion of pIOpOSdlS anu dSSSltlCllo llleAuS NY AkeeiAA at the previous meeting. Just what were the terms of the American rejoin- der cannot, of course, be ascertained. But, despite persistent assertions here to the contrary, there is no ground, as has already been cabled, for the Span ish contention that the United States acquiesced, at the signing of the pro- tocol, in some reservation by Spain of her Philippine sovereignty. This utter ly unfounded rumor is now quite well understood to have come from a high source not in sympathy with the Unit ed States.
 The facts of the case are these: On July 26 last the Washington govern ment received from Spain an inquiry as to the basis on which the war might be terminated. Four days later, or thereabouts, the information was forth coming in a response embodying the terms of the protocol, save for the use in the Philippine paragraph of the word "possession.' Before the response was formally presented to M. Cambon. Spain's representative in Washington. he suggested the substitution of the word disposition. The United States government acquiesced; and the substi- luton was made, the formal response was delivered to M. Cambon, who for warded it to Madrid, and on August z Spain forwarded her reply which, as affecting the Philippine question, was evasive or ambiguous.
 "The terms relating to the Philip pines" said the Spanish government, seem to our understanding quite in definite. On one hand, the ground on which the United States believe them selves entitled to occupy the bay, har- bor and city of Manila, pending the conclusion of a. treaty of peace, cannot be that of conquest, since in spite of tthe blockade maintained on the sea by the American fleet and in spite of the siege established on land by a native, supported and provided for by an American nay Manila still holds it's own. On the other hand the whole archipelago of the Philippines is in the power and under the sovereignty of Spain.
 Therefore, the governmental of Spain thinks that the temporary occu- patton of Manila should constitute a guaranty It is asserted that the treaty of peace shall determine the control, disposition and government of teh Philippines; but, as the intentions of the federal government by regres- sion, remain yelled, the Spanish gov ernment must, therefore, declare that, which accepting the third condition they do not apriohi renounee the sov- ereignty of Spain over the archipelago, leaving it to the negotiations to agree as to such reforms as the condition of these possessions and the level of the culture of their natives may render de- sirable. The governmenmt of her maj esty accepts the third condition, with the above mentioned declarations
 This part of Spain's note was deem- ed unsatisfactory at Washington as calculated to breed misunderstanding and if left unchallenged, as holding ex- actly the possibilities of contention which is now sought to bring into the negotiations here. The federal authori- ties therefore addressed to M. Cambon a communication pointing out that, while the foregoing utterances from Madrid were understood by him to convey Spain's acceptance of the terms of peace the acceptance was not en- tirely explicit and that the most direct and certain way of avoiding misunder- standing was to embody in a protocol the terms on which the negotiations for peace were to be undertaken.
 Along with the note was sent to NJ. Cambon protocol, embodying the pre- else terms rendered to Spain in the American communication on July 30 or thereabouts. Immediately upon re- ceipt of them, M. Cambon transmitted the protocol to Madrid, accompanied by a. message from himself clearly showing that the French ambassador knew that the United States govern mept did not regard Spain's response tc the peace terms as satisfactory or acceptable. NJ Cambon's message to Spain was as follows:
 The federal government has decided 10 state precisely in protocol the basis upon waich the peace negotiations must, in their judgment be entered upon. herewith send this document.
 This message went to Spain about August 10. Two days later M. Cambon notified Judge Day that he had just re- ceived telegram dated at Madrid, August 12, in which Duke Almodovar Rio, the Spanish minister of foreign affairs announced thai the Spanish government had conferred upon him,