The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-20
Spain Asks for
One.
PROBABLE REASON.
1t is to Formulate Final
Attitude in Cuba.

Paris, Oct. 19.-The next meeting of
the two peace commissions at Paris has
been fixed for Friday next A joint SEES
sion had been arranged for today.
While the deferring of any one con-
ference for two days is not in itself an
important request, the delay by the
Spanish at this juncture is something
more than significant.
The game of diplomacy now progress
ing here has reached a stage, which
makes it necessary that the next move
be made by the Spanish commissioners.
They are confronted by the plain fact
of their protocol. agreement to relin-
quish and evacuate Cuba without Ifs"
ands' or butts 1t has become clear
here that the Spaniards cherish the
hope that they could Internationally
covenant to follow given path and
Ultimately wander elsewhere and do this
or more than named in the protocol
compact
The American commissioners here
firmly adhere to the. boundary lines all
ready mutually established and within
which they insist the Spaniards as well
as themselves shall duly proceed.
the Spaniards are now initially appre-
ciating that the United States did not
make war on Spain to acquire Cuba as
a conquest prize.
OF this the Spaniards may not yet be
wholly convinced, but the firm refusal
of Judge Day and his colleagues to as
sumo the Cuban debt, because the
United States will not take over the
sovereignty has widened Spanish per-
nd hoc t;oo III
tened their convictions.
Wherefore, it may in a sense be true
that for the first time they have feel
ing that American pledge and Ameri-
can performance are o-equal terms
The Spaniards now are practically on
the threshold of properly lighted me-
gotiations. When Spain approached
these negotiations she was confrontea
by will of fast agreement which she.
however, regarded, as possible of break
or puncture at the point of Castillian
diplomacy.
Thus she poised and launched against
the protocol structure of seeming So
lidity. the keenness of her fnesse
But they have fallen broken at her
feet, and now Spain's commissioners
ask time to assure themselves of their
previous misjudgment, and also to re-
form their lines or arrange new ones.
The assigned reason for todays re-
quest for delay is believed to have been
TO allow an interchange of communica-
tions with Madrid and toformulate a
final attitude on the Cuban matter
This attitude of the Spaniards to be
developed on Friday win oe watched
with no little interest.
Their alternatives are few. They may
accede to the American attitude them
selves. assume the Cuban debt and go
forward to consider the next protocol
point of Porto Rico and the choice by
the United States of an island in the
Ladrones group or they may at this
iuncture formally ask for arbitration;
or as an extremity which is not likely
may retire from further negotiation
The tone during the last four or five
days of the Spanish and French press,
is significant of widening conferences
by the Spanish as to the attitude they
have assumed in the negotiations here
and the recurring assurance of SPANS
desire for arbitration may have had
q meaning.
The American commissioners, after
dispatching their acquiescence in the
delay held a brief meeting, probably to
make formal record of the deferring
of the joint session fixed for today
The Americans yesterday held brief
session having no reference to the ne
gotations, and the brevity Of these
meetings and all other indications war
rant the conviction that American at
titude is well formed and that the COM
mission Is thoroughly advised on all
points and features, which it is pos
sible to foresee in subsequent confer
ences.
The amount of reflection required by
the Americans since their arrival here
is large They have examined maps of
the Philippine Islands, and their testi-
mony from other sources is consider
able.
A distinguished Catholic churchman
from New Orleans is now in this city in
connection, it is said, with the interests
of the Roman Catholic church in Cuba.
The holders of Spanish securities have
not been inactive, and it is unlikely
that the American commission has been
called upon to consider a written pre-
sentiment of figures, facts and plead
ings In behalf of those interests.
Were it not that the spirit and atti-
tude of the American commission are
so dignifed, it might be said that they
are now holding the fort and invite at
tack Their personality and procedure
here is such as to make it fair to say
that while not counting attack, they do
not fear one.