The Portland daily press., 1898-10-18
The Spanish Claim As to Sovereignty
Of Cuba.
COMMISSIONERS MADE TO SEE
THAT AMERICA FEELS OTHERWISE
The Country Will Assume No Part OF the
Cuban Debt-Will Not he Unmindtui
of Certain Local Obligations.

the representative of Aguinaldo, the IN
surgent leader of the Philippine islands,
was interviewed today here by the Asso-
ciated Press.
'Would the Philippines accept annex
alton or a protectorate. of the United
States?' Agonoillo was asked.
He answered.: "We want independence
but the Filipinos have a recognized gov
ernment, of which Aguinaldo is president
and it will determine our attitude to-
wards protectorate or annexation"
'Should the United States take all or
part of the Philippines, would the Fil1pi.
nos fight the United States as they have
fought Spain9''
81 cannot answer without possible
error, but I think it would he unwise in
the United States to divide the Philip
pines. They should take all or none. "
eff the United States give up the Phil
ippine islands, will the Filipinos con-
tinue to fight the Spanish?'
~ think SO.
ssIs Ii true that the Filipinos do not
object to the continuance of the native
pr1ssts?'
tYes.''
"And what of the orders, religious?"
MOQlu Uu6 hOOCPV UAy PGSOo
with the United States and Spain which
did not provide for the expulsion of the
ordersf"
"The presence and acts of the orders
were the chief determining cause OF the
insurrectiop 1t would be impossible for
the Filipinos to become reconciled with
Spain. We have vainly and repeatedly
sought the rights of citizenship, employ
ing all legal means and have risen In in
ftxuc in a aant11ru tn
secure them, and we are now enjoying
them. Peace is only possible under any
government by the aboIishment of the
orders which, as I have said, were the
chief determining cause of the abuses and
oppression, and therefore the rebellion.
Agoncillo says he has not come here to
secure a hearing before the commission
but to learn the determination of the
commissioners regarding the Philippine
Islands and to communicate to Agu1n-
aldo.
Aaoncillo thus far has not oommuni-
Gated with our commission.
The American commissioners held their
usual morning session today and entered
upon the sixth joint session at two
O'Clock this afternoon, adjourning at y. 40.
The commissions will meet again on
Wednesday next.
During today's session, the commissions
ers were occupied with the consideration
of the Spanish presentation of Tuesday
last and the American answer, submitted
or Friday, relating to Cuba and the debt
of that island. The examination of the
written canvass on the subject was not
concluded today and will be continued at.
the next joint meeting, following which
the Spaniar5s will doubtless reply in
writing. the conclusion of the subject
soon following.
The interchanges regarding Cuba are
now SO advanced that the Spaniards will
not fail to understand the United States
determination, disclosed in the dispatches
on Saturday, not to assume part or the
whole of the so-oalled Cuban debt OF four
hundred millions. 1t should not, how
ever, be understood that the Americans
during tho course of the controversy, have
been unmindful of certain local burdens,
like the municipal obligations of the
Cubanfcities, railroads and kindred prop
critics, local and permanent. 1t should
not be forgotten, however, that the
American attitude in Cuba is held not
to be that of an acquiring power. either
of territory or of it's real OF constructive
obligations The opposing Spaniards
keanly contend that sovereignty involves
burdens as well as blessings and that both
should pass together from Spain. Glossy
following this contention, the Spaniards
are pressing for construction of the word
"Relinquish'' in the Cuban article OF the
protocol.
ave must they urge "relinquish
sovereignty over Cuba, but to whom? We
have not agreed to relinquish 1t to the
Cubans, we relinquish it to the United
States"
Thus, crystalizing their reasoning and
insistence, the Spaniards bind debt ana
sovereignty together and urge that the
must be to the United
States. While this contention is keenly
and vigorously supported it has not
shaken the position OF the Americans,
who cut the thread of Spanish diplomacy
in the middle of the word ''relinquish"
by practically assuring the Span1 ards
they need not cherish anxiety as to whom
tn relinouish, but to conform to the
fourth article of the PROTOCOL which
pledges Spain: "That Cuba. Porto Rico
and the other Spanish islands of tie West
Indies shall be Immediately evacuated. -
Briefly, the American response to the
Spanish diplomacy of construction and
definition was that the words 'relin-
ouish" and ''evacuate" are Interchange
apIe and have the same meaning. Thus,
three sessions were given up to patiently
meeting Spain's views and contentious
touching the protocol to relipquish sover-
eighty over the title to Cuba and there IS
u possibility of two sessions mere.
TRYING TO GET RID OF DEBT.
Washington, October l7.-The peace
commissioners have not yet reached the
subject of the Philippines, bllt. are stlll
engaged, not exactly with the CUBAN
debt, but rather in an effort on the one
side, to get that subject before the Joln1
commission and on the other to EXCLUDE
it entirely as not proper for discussion.
Without doubt the friction DetWeen
the two sides has become more pro-
nouncad within the past few days, put
this is attributed to mistaken ideas exist
ing on the part of Spanish pubic aea men
regarding the sentiment in the Uhltea
States and the present probable results OF
varying political struggles here. Onusf
these erroneous Impressions The spanish
commissioners have persisted beyond " no"
were believed to be their powers OF enuul-
anoe upon their effort to secure by solne
Ez-zEgszssE:z=zsza Ask for the Best and youN
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