Rock Island Argus., 1898-11-21
END RED HOT.
Sort of Peace Poker Spain Has to
Hold at the Dictum of
Uncle Sam.
ONE END HOTTER THAN THE OTHER.

| Can Accept Our Terms for the Phillips
pines, and Do 1t Suddenly, or Wen Lick
| Her Some More and Give Her Nothing
| for the IsIands-Report That the Dons
| Accept, and Wash Their Hands of All
| the Colonial Debts.
| Madrid. Nov. 21.-In political circles
| it is asserted that an agreement has
| been reached between the peace COM
| missioners in Paris. The government, il
is semi-officially announced, intends to
notify the Cuban bondholders that
| Spain will not pay the Cuban debt,
| which will not be mentioned in the
| peace treaty. The government consid-
ers Itself completely freed from these
| entanglements, which fall upon the ma
ton exercising sovereignty and collect
| irg taxes in Cuba. f[
Some Contradictory Allegations.
London, Nov 21.-The Madrid corre-
spondent of The Daily Mail says: 1T
is asserted that the government would
reject an offer of SAC, ,OOO, 600 for the
Philippines as ridiculous" The Madrid
! correspondent of The Standard says:
Spain will decline indemnity for the
Philippines If the sum offered appears
inadequate in the eyes of the nation"
Telegrapher says: Following the ad-
vice of Austria and Germany Spain will
accept Americas offer of compensation
for the Philippines"
Our Clean-Cut Rejoinder to the Dons.
Paris, Nov. 21.-The Spanish peace
commissioners have been notified that
the United States commissioners will be
ready to treat with them in joint ses-
sion this afternoon. Unless the Span
iarGs have an adequate reason for fur
ther delay the two commissions will
join in the most important meeting
thus far held. The American commits
sioners, in a written communication.
Will declare that the third article of
the protocol regarding the Philippines
is capable of only one fair construction,
that 10 arbitra ton is needed to elucidate
its terms. and that the United States
cannot admit any other power to figure
here purely as a leXicologist. They will
maintain that the two commissions are
charged to determine whether Spain or
the United States shall in future own
the Philippines.
What the Other Fellow Has to Do.
This Will be accompanied by the clear
declaration that the United States will
possess the Philippines. Following this
declaration the American commission
ers Will lay before the Spaniards two
alternatives tlrSt-1O accept a sum or
money from the United States and to
cede ard evacuate the Philippines.
Second-To lose the Philippines to the
United States by conquest, with the
possibility of other territorial losses TO
indemnify the United States for the
added expense of conquest. This COM
munication may not be formally desie-
mated as an ultimatum, but it will lack
naught of the conc,usiveness indicated
by that word. This will be so plain that
the Spanish commissioners will scarcely
haggle for money on the first alterna-
tive ror cherish ary doubt of American
action under the second, should the first
be declined.
How Much Spain May Get.
No one here. except the American
commissioners. knows how much will
be rendered Spain as the cheapest way
of settling the difficulty. She is exceed
irgly anxious to escape the Philippine |
debt, and possibly the sum to be offered |
may be determined by an analysis of |
that debt, which consists of $4,000. 900 |
in bonds, on which she realized $50. .OO0,- |
600. OF the latter amount she is be- |
lieved to have expended some $40, ,OoO 900 |
or S11,000.O0O in fighting the United |
States and part in attempting to quell |
the Philippine irsurrection. \ reason /
able guess at the sum for tender would |
be $4,000, 600. though it may fall below |