Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-17
WANT ARBITRATOR
Spanish Commission Springs Surprise on
the Americans.
QUESTIONS LEGALITY OF THE PROTOCOL
Ask that Philippine Dispute Be Referred for
Judgment.
WILL HANG ON TO ISLANDS TO THE END
Spain Contends It Should Have the Benefit
Of All Doubts.
I'LL HANG ON TO ISLANDS TO THE END
ADJOURNMENT FOLLOWS UNTIL SATURDAY
SpRniards Are Merely Making Fest
Diplomatic Fight They Can aud
VIII Give In 70 the Final
Ultimatum.

Ultimatum.
Copyright. 1s9S. by Press Publishing Coz
PARIS Nov. 16.--(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram )-Today's meet.
Ing OF the Joint Peace commission lasted
foity-fve minutes and was of high impor-
tance. The Spanish commissioners presented
their re1oinder to the American reply on the
Philippine question, in which they strongly
reiterated the contention that Philippine
sovereignty does not come up for discussion
under the terms Of the protocol and sets out
various reasons why the United States pro-
posal concerning the debt could not be ac-
cepted by Spain.
The surprise OF the meeting, however, was
request that the dispute should be re-
ferred to arbitration, as the scope of the
protocol and its legality demand that the
United States should consider the sover-
eighty question under It, This proposal
submitted with the protestation that II was
made simply because the great desire or
Spain is to bring negotiations to an AMIGA
Bile issue--also pointed out that the United
States has always been foremost in cham
pioning arbitration; consequently, Spain
makes the request with all the more con-
fldence of its being granted. No name for
arbitrator Is mentioned, but II 10 understood
that the Spaniards have either the king OF
the Belgians or the president Of the Swiss
Federation In view.
The American mmissioners asked for an
adjournment until Saturday, when it is
fully expected that they will reject the
arbitration proposal which is, in effect, a
derogation from t. cir powers. They are
commissioned to settle all points arising on
the protocol and they maintain unshaken
tbatr tla% 80 ~. DtlIi,,
pines is disposable under that instrument.
The spaniards are merely making the best
diplomatic fight they can and 1t is not be-
lieved here there Is any likelihood Of abso-
lutte rupture. as they will accept--thougn
| under protest-when the American commits
| sioners say their last word about the Philip
| pines.
! hear from another source that the
| Spaniards' memorandum deals volumnously
| with the American arguments and concludes
| by announcing the inability Of the Spanish
| commission TO swerve from Its counter
propositions. The Spaniards also presented
the proposition to the American commission
| to the effect IL the latter insisted on de-
manding sovereignty of the Philippines the
| Joint commission should request the two
| governments to submit the question to an
| arbitrator to determine the true meaning of
the third and sixth articles Of the protocol
Instructed to Hang to Philippines.
| MADRID. Nov. 16.-The minister of for
| eign affairs, Duke Almodovar de Rios, has
received dispatches from the Spanish peace
commissioners now In Paris, indicating that
todays meeting Of the joint commissions
will not be the last. The commissioners, it
Is added, have received additional instruc-
| tions to defend Span's rights In the Philip
! pines.
| The minister OF marine, Senor Aunon, and
the minister of foreign affairs have con-
| ferred on the statement of Emperor Will
liam's visit to Spain.
| The newspapers discuss the Carllst agita-
| tion, but express belief that the followers
Of Don Carlos will not issue a revolutionary
| manifesto.
! PARIS, Nov. 16-The meeting today Of
| the Spanish and American commissioners
began at 2:15 p. m. and ended at 8 p. m.
| The Spanish commissioners presented a
, long document in answer to the American
argument which was submitted last week.
| BY mutual consent the memorandum of to-
| day was handed to the Americans without
| being read and the meeting adjourned TO
! Saturday next. The Spanish commun cation
| will be translated this evening and it's con-
| tents will be discussed by the United States
| commissioners tomorrow at their usual daily
| session.
The Spanards in their communication to.
, day reafilrmed the position which they have
assumed against the discussion here OF
| Spain's Philippine sovereignty. They insist
| that the words Shall determine the con-
| troll, disposition and government OF the Phil
! ippines" in article iii, Of the peace protocol.
do not warrant any reference to Spains
withdrawal from the Philippines. except OH its
own terms, and therefore, the Spanards pro-
| pose arbitration on the construction to be
placed In the words THE control, DISPOSE
tion and government"
Amount to lie offered spnin.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1s.-Up to this point
the discussion at Paris having touched on
principle. there has been no attempt 10
name exact figures in relation TO the amount
OF money that might be paid to Spain by
the United States on account OF the Philip
pines. Such, for Instance, as the state
ment that the United States would rem-
burse Spain "for the pacific expenditures
made on account Of the Philippines, for no
ore here at the time had an exact knowl
edge OF what these expenditures amounted
TO in the aggregate, This has been as
certained, however. to the satisfaction OF
the American commissioners at least and
they will name the exact amount OF money
which the United States is willing to pay
over to Spain on this account What is
proposed Is a cash payment to Spain, for the
United States does not propose to enter into
any relations whatever with any OF the
holders OF bonds issued by Spain, notwitb-
standing the efforts OF some OF the Euro
pean powers TO bring this result about, As
TO the amount which will be offered to
Spain, the oficials here are mute. bu, 1t Is
believed TO lie somewhere between $40, 900,
900 and s40O00000
The American commissioners are under
instructions to inform the Spanish commits
sloners that there can be no further delay
in the final conclusions OF the work OF the
commission. SO that It is certain that an
end one way or the other will be reached
before long.