The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-04
TO DECLINE
Spain Will Not
Accept
OUR PROPOSITIONS.
Counter Proposal May Not
Accompany Refusal.

Paris, Nov 9.-Last Monday the
United States and Spanish peace com
missioners left the definite limitations
of the protocol and entered upon the
wide field of diplomacy, where an open
question is to be discussed.
Both commissions realize that the
area is ample enough for some maneu-
vering, though on the American side,
the tendency is to evolutions much
more compact than those of the Span
iards. Both would undoubtedly be
gratitied to reach a mutual conclusion
without compulsion.
AT Mondays joint session, the Ameri-
lean commissioners laid down propo-
sition in, two parts: First, that the
United States should take over the
Philippines entire; second, that in so
doing they should reimburse to Spain
the sum of her permanent and pacific
expenditure in the Philippines.
The logic of the situation compelled
the Americans to make the first move.
Having heard the American PROPOSE
ton, the Spaniards might have immedi-
ately declined it, as they certainly will
do at tomorrow's session. Whether
they will accompany the refusal with a
counter proposition, has not been def
nitely ascertained, though at late hour
this evening that course seems ilnprob-
able. The result will be that the COM
mission will retire from conference po-
sitions until one or the other shall have
reformed its lines for the next meeting,
which win probably occur next week.
If the Spanish commissioners enter
tain a hope that after the elections in
the United States, the American com
missioners will relax their demands as
to the Philippines, they have not ut
tered it here for the public ear nor has
anything been said or done by any
member of the United States commits
sion to warrant such a hope. The
American commissioners came to Paris
with no greed for Philippine territory
in Sc.
To an unofficial bystander, the ques-
ton with them has seemed to be rather
| to find the right path and to walk II
| 1t. than by bold use of power te
wrench the utmost advantage from Z
distressed opponent. The fact is the
commissioners have felt that the con-
ditions precedent render the letting &C
of the Philippines as difficult as Their
| retention. There is, for Instance, the
question of the future of Aguinaldo
his chiefs and followers. The Philip
pine leader and his immediate asso-
ciates in the insurrection accepted exile
and over half million dollars at the
hands of Spain as an inducement to
cease their rebellions. They went to
China, but they were brought back to
the Philippines on board United
States warship. Aguinaldo received
from Admiral Dewey several STANDS OF
arms and was put ashore as an ally OF
the United States in the war against
Spain.
The insurgent leader and his chiefs
have forfeited their lives. Should the
United States return the Philippines to
Snain. Aguinaldo and his lighting fol-
lowers must be surrendered to death
or taken away by the United States,
and the American commissioners feel
that transplanting them would. be as
severe toward them as it would be i'm
practicable from the point Of view of
the United States. Territory to shelter
them is felt to be necessary IN the
Philippines. The entire group mlght
not be necessary for this purpose;
should then the United States retain
Luzon as their place OF refuge? To do
this would be to take the most valuable
portion of the archipelago, an act
which might furnish a basis for the
dual charge Of greed in taking the best
and of cowardice in evading RESPONSE
bility for the remainder. The Amerl-
can commissioners have been unWllilng
to place the United States IN such a
position.
Again there arose the pregnant ques-
ton Of undesirable neighbors, should
only Luzon be taken. An aggressive
w disposed power might acquire Min
orc, which is almost within cannon
shot of Luzon, and thus create most
difficult situation Could then wiser
division of the islands be made?
The American commissioners have
not been unnaindful of the fact that
circumstances partially Of their shaping
had imposed upon the United States
a constructive responsibility for the
Philippines and that either this must
be forsaken or a larger one assumed.
They have believed, too, that before
the nations of the world, the United
States have assumed the higher re-
sponsibility for the stable control OF
their entire group, and, with a sense
of specific and general obligation, they
felt compelled to propose to take over
all.
On question of the Spanish debt, by
whatever name known, the American
4 commissioners seem to take broader
ground than the mere question OF doll
lars 1t is evident they do not favor
coupling any power in debt responsible
~
iustments. on the plain basis of facts
and equities Whether the war ledgers
of Spain and the United States are to
be balanced on the present negotiations
does not appear, but the Americans
face the situation open-eyed and with
minds free to any argument based upon
justice to Spain and fair treatment of
their own national interests.
The correspondent of The Associated
Press ascertains from Spanish sources
beyond question that before the Phil
ippine question is settled the Spanish
| commissioners will declare that they
are not here solely to save or to gain
all the money possible from the United
States. Senior Montero Rios, president
of the Spanish commission, and his col
leagues waving for argument any
classification Of the Spanish or colonial
debts, will point out that Spain has
borrowed on the collateral of her col
onial revenue.
They will concede that the national
guarantee may have been added but
that. for all the purposes of this con-
tention, the fact is irrelevant. It Will
then be frankly urged by her COM
missioners that SPAIN has pawned the
revenues Of the Philippines and of
Cuba that she did So in good faith to