Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-02
PHILIPPINE MATTER.
Our Government Certainly Pro-
poses to Hold Entire Group
We MAY PAY SPAIN A BALANCE
After Counting War Cost to Us, the
Amount Could Not Be Large.
THE FAILURE OF NEGOTIATIONS.
Possibility of This Now Regarded
With Greater Equanimity mt Wash
ington Thnn HeretOfore-Spain Cam
not Harm Us.
THE FAILURE OF NEGOTIATIONS.
not Harm Us.

WASHINGTON, November 1.-The Ca5i-
net to-day devoted most of its at
tention TO consideration of questions con-
nected with the administration of affairs
in Cuba and Porto Rico. The administra-
tive feature of the Philippine question
also received some attention. Nothing
has been heard from the commission at
Paris as to yesterday s proceedings, and
it is realized that nothing is to be ex-
pected in the way of developments uctil
Fridays session.
While the Cabinet gave little attention
to-day to the peace negotiations at Paris,
there is no longer any doubt as to the
general purpose OF this government to
retain the entire Philippine archipelago.
BALANCE DUE SPAIN.
After balancing the cost Of the war on
one side and our acquisitions on the
other, if it is found that any compensa-
ton is due the Spanish Government, /.
will be made in lump sum. No Spanish
bonds of any character or amount, other
than local or municipal bonds, will be
paid or assumed by this government.
What sum of money this government
would consent to pay to Spain cannot
even be estimated, but when the final
account is rendered II is believed that
the balance due Spain will be small, pro-
badly not exceeding $2500O,000 or $780, 900.
The belief still prevails among majority
Of the Cabinet that the Spaniards will
accept the terms laid down by the United
States, and that whatever Of delay occurs
before that result is reached will be
chargeable only TO the purpose of she
Standards to secure the best possible
terms, to extort the last possible million
dollars before acceding to our demands.
SPAIN NOT DANGEROUS.
The possibility of disagreement of the
commissioners and the failure Of the con-
ference, however, is now contemplated
with greater equanimity than at the
earlier stage of the negotiations. The
, administration has satisfied itself tn 1t
Spain is neither able nor willing to Re-
sumo hostilities on any scale that would
make her dangerous opponent TO tie
United States. Therefore, supposing the
Paris conference to fall all that would
be imposed upon our government as an
immediate duty would be to take complete
military possession of the Philippines
This. il is believed, could be accomplished
| by us without loss of time or life. The
| last ysstige of Spanish military power
| In the islands is that under Colonel Rios,
| COMMUNICATIVE of the Niscayas
Islands, and by deputlzed authority IN
| charge of all Spanish territory not di-
rectly within the control of the United
States IN the Philippine Islands. His
| force is insufficient from a military point
of view. and it is doubtful If he could
| have held his own against the insurgents
| had the Tagals been allowed by Admiral
| Dewey to make Manila the base of an
| expedition directed against the Spanish
| commander.
| CUBA COULD EASILY BE TAKEN.
| So far as Cuba is concerned, the diih-
| Guilty might be more serous but even
| there, the Spanish military forces are
| not in condition to offer n prolonged re-
| sistance to the American conquest Of The
| island and with the Spanish navy at
\ the bottom of the sea, they could not lie
| reinforced by troops from Spain. There
| fore. about the worst that could happen
| would be the necessity imposed upon US
| of struggling along without the signature
| of a treaty of peace, but in full posses
| sion of all the territory we desire. and
4 that such conditions can exist without
II
| by the history Of the Spanish American
| republics which revolted from Spains s
| rule.
| VIEWS OF FRENCH PRESS.
| PARIS. November 1.-The French papers
| derive their news OF the work of the
| Peace Commissions from Spanish sources
and therefore the morning papers here
to-day are interesting as indicating the
| ,,, CYaa feh pfa md u
trend of French views and tendencies. II
must be recalled that the Spanlards have
utterly accepted the refusal OF the United
| states Government TO assume any or the
| Snanish debt, and the Cuban question has
| heen set away to await it's place in the
final treaty, provided differences on the
| ouestion of the Philippine Islands shall
| not prevent the making of any treaty
| AS the whole is composed OF its parts
| so must the Philippine question be mutu
| ally agreed on or not, one OF those ques
tions previously agreed on will find g
nlace In the treaty. This is all the pro
| vision or the provisional understanding
existing at present In view of the facts,
then the Paris press to-day has indicated
a tendency TO confuse the situation.
PORTO RICO AN INDEMNITY.
The Matin. in reviewing IT, says: 1T /.
well understood that the cesson OF
porto Rico was tantamount to the pay
ment of a war indemnity in cash. and en-
trely freed Spain from any subsequen
repetition on the subjecH'
Turning back to Cuba, the Matin re
marks: 'sThe Spanards declined to con
cur i'm separating the debt from th'
rledge. the mortgage from the loan, anC
as il was impossible to reach an under
standing. they ask that at least the orde
of the protocol be inverted and that th'
ouestfon Of the Philippines be previousl.
i discussed; that question possibly offering
The Americans an opportunity for tend
arirg some compensation for the enor
nous sacrifices they have forced upon tn
onrouered. The Americans finally ac
ceded TO the change. and only asked tn
snaniards TO accept Professionally tn
ciauses relating to the Cuban debt, Will
the reservation that the acceptance couI'
no withdrawn II no agreement was reach
ed as TO the Philippines"
| sPANIARDs WILL WITHDRAW.
Referring to yesterdays meeting tn
] Natin says: 'The spanialis said the!