The Worcester spy., 1898-10-18
0V ER CUBA.
Idea of Sover-
eighty
REJECTED BY U. S.
Such Is the Version of the
Times Correspondent.

London. Oct. 1s.-The Paris cores
pondent of the Times says:
At the sitting of the peace commits
sion this (Monday) afternoon, the
American commissioners officially ami
it would seemed definitely, rejected the
idea of accepting sovereignty over
Cuba for the United States.
The Spanish commissioners thereupon
remarked that Spain, having aband-
oned such sovereignty under pressure
from the United States and the United
States having denied that sovereignty
henceforth belongs to them, Cuba is de
facto in a state of anarchy, as an in
termission of sovereignty cannot be
viewed in any other light.
The American commissioners re-
Joined that, without accepting sover-
eighty the United States considered
themselves deputed and bound to main
tain security for all the inhabitants,
that they would not fail to introduce
and uphold order and, in short, that
they would do all that was necessary
to put the island as speedily as possi-
Bile In a state of normal organization
to be transferred at the earliest mo-
ment into a legal regularity, satisfae-
tory for the security of all.
Upon this, the Spanish commission
ers, with what seems striking logic,
promptly replied that by the facts Of
the declaration just made and of the
United States undertaking to restore
legality, order and security, the United
States were invested with veritable
sovereignty, and consequently could not
refuse to accept the consequences OF
such sovereignty, seeing that they ad-
mittedly could not tolerate the relapse
into anarchy of an island placed under
their supervision and direction.
Notwithstanding these striking OBJ
jections, the American commissioners
persisted in their refusal and officially
declared that the United States can
not be considered, invested with SOW
ereignty and that they (the commits
sioners) could not deviate from this
defnitive declaration.
According to Impressions have been
able to collect in various circles uncon-
nected with either side, but entitled to
weight, the refusal of the United States
is not of so positive a character as
would at first sight seem to result
from the formal declarations men
toned.
The reasoning given me is this The
Cuited States have declared that they
made a war not of conquest but of
liberation and order, because they
could not allow the prolongation at
their very doors Of state Of things
which was in their eyes blow to the
cause of humanity and civilization
They, therefore made public declara-
tion that the war was not one OF con
quest; and they now consider that by
agreeing to be invested with the SOW
ereignty of Cuba they would give
themselves the appearance of having
conquered the island for territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT They refuse to give
themselves the appearance of con-
quering nation Hence, they positively
refuse to accept the capacity of SOW
ereignty which would be inconsistent
with the character of humanitarian
disinterestedness essential to the hon
or of America.
The United States quite comprehend
that their firm refusal to accept SOW
ereignty does not exclude obligation, on
the footing Of justice and equity, to
make Spain real concessions as to
financial burdens which would be
crushing il she were saddled with the
whole Cuban debt. We may be certain
that on this point the Americans will
be less inf1exible than on the principle
of sovereignty The proof, I am told,
that the United States are disposed to
meet Spain in an equitable fashion, is
that the Spanish commissioners, who
would not at first accept an invitation
to dine with Gen. Horace Porter until
the end of the conference, have now
accepted.
Friends of the United States here
think it might have been better if they
rad proceeded more openly, and if, in
stead OF conquering the island indi-
rectly, the Washington government
had frankly accepted sovereignty in
Cuba. with al 1.-THE rights and obliga-
tions involved.