Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-11-18
SPECIAL CABINET MEETING
A Cablegram from Paris Commits
sion and the Porto Rican Com
mission Report Discussed.
THE INSURGENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Cabinet Concludes to Open q Port
on the Western Coast OF Cuba About
December 4 to Benefit Sugar Planters.

Washington. Nov. 13.-The special
cabinet meeting which was called by
the president Saturday lasted until
one o'clock. It was devoted almost
entirely to discussion of ca blegram
received from the peace commissioners
at Paris, and the report of the evacu-
alton commission at Porto Rico, which
was personally presented by Admiral
Schley. Owing to the fact that cabi-
net meeting on Saturday was quite un-
usual, many conjecturel reports were
afioat as to the urgent and critical
character of the subjects considered.
But the members of the cabinet stated
most positively that nothing of a dis
turbing character had developed
at Paris or had been under con-
sideration. The text of a cablegram
to be sent to the peace commission at
Paris in response to one from Judge
Day was framed. 1t involved no new
or immediate crisis. The Spanish COM
mission had asked until a day next
week in which to make answer to the
note recently submitted by the Amer
leans Although the administration is
becoming somewhat impatient of the
delays to the work of the commission
ers occasioned by the procrastination
of the Spaniards, the delay in this in
stance will not be objected to- although
it may meet with an intimation that
the discussion has reached q point
where definite results are expected
without further unnecessary loss of
time.
tbs believed that at the next meeting
of the joint commission the Spaniards
will yield one important step, namely.
they will at least tacitly, by beginning
the argument of the question, recede
from their refusal to allow the ques-
ton of the sovereignty of Spain over
the Philippines to be questioned. If
this surmise is we'll founded, then the
two commissions will be brought face to
face with the adjustment of the details
of proposition for the transfer of the
Philippines to the United States. suffi-
GENTLY complex to warrant the ex-
pectation that several more sessions of
the Joint commission will be required
for its adjustment.
dispatch from Moscow states that
the members of the diplomatic corps
at St. Petersburg have been informed
of Germany's intention to protest
against American annexation to the
Philippines.
The attitude of the insurgents in the
Philippines has given the administra-
ton considerable uneasiness, for it is
feared that if these insurgents are al
lowed to continue their hostile activ-
ity there may be protests which we
shall be compelled to regard. The
difficulty in the situation is that the
insurgents are operating at points
outside the island of Luzon, where
the United States has never been in
actual possession and where it would
be difficult to place troops to maintain
the status quo. Nevertheless, it is be-
lieved to be incumbent upon our gov
eminent to do something in this di-
rection and the military and naval au-
thorities at Manila will be so advised.
Admiral Schley's visit brought up
the Porto Rico question. The admiral,
who was accompanied by Secretary
Long, was invited to participate in the
discussion. The report was an inter
esting recital of the circumstances of
the American occupation. but the re-
port itself was not given out Con-
corning Cuba definite conclu-
sion was arrived at by the cabi
net to open port on the west
ern coast of the island, probably
at Cienfuegos, about December 1. in
order to allow the larger sugar plant
ers to get in their machinery and begin
work on the new sugar crop. The sit
uation in the Carolinas was referred
to. only incidentally, the attorney
general making the statement that no
evidence had yet reached him which
would warrant the federal government
in interfering.