The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-10-19
4 NEW SCANDAL.
Tremendous Sensation Sprung
by the New York Journal.
CUBA TO BE GOBBlED UP.
A ASpanish-American Money Ring
to Have the United States
to Assume the Phili-
pine Debt.
pine Debt.

SuccceucC .DI greater scandal about
the negotiations for peace in Paris.
The precautions taken to prevent the
American public from getting at the
secrets Of this extraordinary and pic
tureSque conclave Of Americans who
do not speak Spanish and Spaniards
who do not speak English are almost
incredible The dispatch says:
1t was Day. country lawyer. and
next door ncigh5or and family friend
of President Mckinley, who made the
motion in joint session Of the Spanish
American Commission that the pro-
ceedings be kept an absolute secret.
This secrecy is maintained not only
with respect 10 the joint sessions. bat
also covers seperate meetings OF the
american Commissioners.
Already vast financial conspiracy.
or series of conspiracies, has been
hatched in the bosom of this elaborate
ly contrivcd mystery. Not only is the
American public to be kept in utter ig-
norancc Of what the United States will
propose to Spain as basis Of peace in
order that the pending congressional
elections may not be affected. but a few
choice spirits have been let into the
secret Of the situation so rigidly guarded
from the public In consequence a
ring has been formed to buy Philippine
bonds, and the market is being secured
for them. | discovered a few days ago
that powerful friends of both Spanish
and American commissions had receiv-
ed inside information that the United
States would insist upon annexing the
whole Philippine Archipelago, and
would assume responsibility for the
Philippine debt, although the interest
on the bonds might he reduced from 6
per cent to i or even 3 per cent. | know
that communications on the subject of
these bonds had been passing between
Paris and Madrid In orderto test the
situation, | tried to buy some Phil
ippine bonds in Madrid through French
agents.
l at once discovered that powerful
movement was on foot to gather up the
Philippine bonds. This is one of the
most suggestive results of former Secre-
tary Days scheme of secrecy. Under
its shelter gigantic combinations seem
to be forming sinister enterprises that
would be impossible were the air and
sunlight Of publicity let into the main
features of negotiations. The situation
is curiously like that which existed in
Washington when two senators ar
ranged the sugar schedule of the tariff
in secret session, while their friends
made millions of dollars in the stock
market on the basis of private informa,
ton: cannot yet ascertain how far
there may be Wall street end to this
ugly intrigue, but there is certainly q
Madrid Bourse end to it. No wonder
thare is strong, almost irresistible
pressure on the commissioners to keeI
such valuable secrets from the genera
public.
The blackcst element Of the situation
is the masterful craft which is now be
ing employed to defeat the principa
object Of the war department by sup
pressing the Cuban republic, which ha:
sallantly fought for three years in th'
field Of liberty and annexing the islant
t to the United States
: This scheme of national dishonor i
being pressed by gigantic combina
tion Of Spanish capitalists backed b.
the Spanish government and aided b,
: the very Americans who tried to pre-
4 vent the war and sympathized Will
E Spain in her merciless campaign o
murder in Cuba. Spaniards and thei
American accomp!ices know that an
nexation to the United States means al
enormous and INN ediate rise in tn
r value of Cuban property, which woul'
net take place under native rule.
They have even secret hopes tia
with annexation the United State
might guarantee some fraction of tn
immense Cuban debt. But in this the
will surely be disappointed, for l kno7
:, of a certainty that every America
E commissioner is determined to resis
= = every responsibility, direct or indirect
. for the so called Cuban debt, deb
: which in reality has nothing to do wit
. Cuba or its people, but is properl
= chargeable on the Royal Treasury a
: Madrid. Every effort will be made
= induce the United States to annex CT
:. ba, or in some way to prevent the pee
. pie Of Cuba from ruling the island.
q is said that Whitelaw Reid is strongl
,, opposed to any idea of permaner
:. Cuban republic and the Spaniards clail
;. y, that he will side with them in the;
- efforts to persuade the United States
~ ~ violate its public pledges or honor b
!, ~ stamping out the Cuban republic b
~ ~ annexing the island or Egyptianizin
~ it.
!; Men like Atkins. Of Birton, who lon
= aided Dupuy De Lone to battle tt
: American people in their effort to put
i stop to the barbarous struggle in Cub;
~ ~ are frantic with a desire to force al
~ r nexation. but this is a purely SPANS
- - scheme. It's sole object is to increa:
- . the value of Spanish property and el
- hance Spanish interests. 1t has behir
l. l. it all the cunning and power Of Il
~ ~ wealthiest men in Spain 1t is dir
. and treacherous in its origin and in i
%, ., purpose. l draw the veil aside thu
~ far in order that the american peop
- may understand the kind of rascal
~ ~ which is to be attempted under Il
= ! cover of Mr. Days carefully though
~ out scheme Of secrecy Mr.. Day, it
~ ~ we'll known here, is acting under dire
W. W. instructions from Mckinley, just
". Nv Alger was when he created a grayeya
-. for the American army. Paris hote
a. ~ are filled with the members Of the "a
ID Spanish ring, but in spite Of all the
~ plans shall try to keep thc'light tur
ed on until the american peOnle real