Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-11-24
PEACE CONFERENCE.
Two Alternatives to Be Laid Before
the Spanish Commission.
NEGOTIATIONS soon TO Be ENDED.
The United States Government Wants the
Paris Conference Ended Before Congress
Meets-Sp In VIII Not Pay Cuban
Debt-News, apef q InlODA

commissioners have been notified
that the United States commissioner
will be ready to treat with them il
joint session this afternoon. Unless
the Spaniards have an adequate reason
for further delay, the two commissions
will join in the most important meet
ing thus far held. The American com
missioners in written communication
will declare that the third article o.
the protocol regarding the Philippines
Is capable of only one fair constrlc
ton. They will maintain that the two
com missions are charged to determine
whether Spain or the United States
shall In future own the Philippines
This will be accompanied by the cleat
declaration that the United States
will possess the Philippines
Following this declaration the
American commissioners will lay be.
fore the Spaniards two alternatives:
First, to accept sum OF money from
the United States and to recede and
eyacuate the Philippines; second, to
lose the Philippines to the United
States by conquest, with the possibil.
ty OF other territorial losses TO indem.
Nifty the United States for the added
expense Of conquest This communi.
cation may not be formally designated
as an ultimatum, but II will lack
naupht Of the conclusiveness indicated
by that word. This will be 50 plain
that the Spanish commissioners will
scarcely haggle for money on the first
alternative nor cherish any doubt OF
American action under the second,
should the first be declined.
No one here except the American
commissioners knows how much will
be rendered Spain as the cheapest and
most humane way OF settling the dit.
fculty. She Is exceeding anxious to
escape the Philippine debt, and posi-.
bly, the sum to be offered may be de-
termined by an analysis Of that debt,
which consists OF $40, 100000 in bonds
on which she realized $3.50, ,OOO,OO OF
the latter amount she is believed to
have expended some $40, 900, 900 or S!l,-
900, 900 in fighting the United States
and a part in attempting to quell the
Philippine insurrection. A reasonable
guess at the sum for tender would be
no. 600, 900, though it may fall below
that
The Cuban question may come up
again. The American commission had
thought the discussion of that point
finished, but the Spanish commission
ers are reported to have declared last
week that the mortgages imposed by
Spain on the Cuban, as well as the
Philippine revenue, must not be i'm.
paired or questioned This would com
pei the American commissioners 10 de.
mand whether Spain means to reyu-
diate the plain compact Of the protocol
70 relinquish sovereignty over the title
to Cuba Three weeks ago the Span
ish commissioners accepted the Cuoan
article In the protocol without condi-
ti0ns, save It's embodiment in the
treaty should depend on an agree.
nent here on all the articles OF the
protocol, Recently, however, SPANS
representatives have said that the Gu.
ban matter had only been temporarily
passed and was still in abeyancc
NEGOTIATIONS TO DE SOON ENDED.
Washington, Nov. 2l.-'When con.
gress meets the terms of the peace
treaty will be known and probably
the articles will have been formally
drafted, The peace commissioners for
the United States have been instructed
TO bring the work to close. At the
next meeting the Spanish commission
ers will be informed as to the terms
covering the Philippines and will be
notified that definite acceptance must
be given the coming week. The qucs-
tion Of sovereignty has been disposed
Of. Spain is out of the Philippines
At the next meeting the Spanish com.
missioners will be told the amount of
money which this government pro.
poses to nav as compensation for the
public improvements At the same
time they will be notified that the
United States expects acceptance or
rejection Of terms as ouicklv Nc thev
can be communicated to Madrid and
authority receiyed The snanisb com.
'ssioners will be imnresscd with tho
intention Of this government to bring
necotiations to n finish hefors tho
oneniny of the session of conrre,s tho