The record-union., 1898-10-28
asHnqulsh sovs rslght Oyer An, Claim
Cuba Without Terms or Conditions.
All Differences Regarding Porto
Rico and the Selection of the
Island of Guam Also Arranged
by Mnltual Observation-Disclosures
Philippine Question to be
Taken Up Next Week.

PARIS, Oct. 27-The Spanish Peace
Commissioners have accepted the mega
tive view of the United States Commls-
sioners toward the proposed assumption
by the United States of the Cuban debt.
The American Commissioners have
firmly, but courteously, declined to as
sumo for the United States the entire
or joint responsibility for the Spanish
financial conditions, and the Spanish
Commissioners have finally abandoned
the effort, and have agreed that the
Cuban article of the protocol shall,
without conditions, have a place in the
ultimate treaty of peace. 1t was not
until Monday that they became con-
WINGED that the Americans, who had
at the outset made a refusal to accept
the Cuban debt, meant exactly what
they said.
In spite of the fact that the Spanish
Commissioners had as a background of
their efforts doubts of succeeding, their
hope of so doing has been so keen and
their contention has been so vigorously
prosecuted that the final conviction of
their inability to win their point
brought the Spaniards such a shock
and depression that, consistently with
these dispatches at the time, there were
grave doubts as to the continuance Of
the negotiations. In support of these
statements is the fact that Senor Mon
tero Rios, after Mondays session and
on Tuesday last, would have resigned
the Presidency of the Spanish Peace
Commission, had he not believed that
his doing so might have grievously
shaken, If it had not unseated, Senor
Sagasta's Government. From this
standpoint, if for no other reason, Senor
Montero Rios maintained his position,
and at yesterdays session, acting under
the conviction arrived at on Monday,
the Spaniards announced that they
would forego further arguments on the
Cuban debt, and agreed that, practi-
cally in the terms and absolutely in the
spirit of the protocol, the article sbolt
Cuba should go forward into the final
treaty.
Thus Spain agrees to reiinquish sover-
eighty over any claim to Cuba, without
either terms or conditions.
All differences, if any existed. regard
ing Porto Rico and the selection of the
island of Guam, were also arranged by
mutual understanding, and the Com
missioners found themselves we'll nigh
touching the Philippine question, which
will be taken up next week.
1t should be said that the adjustments
already accomplished will stand in the
final treaty, unless opposing views and
positions on the Philippine question
should develop hereafter and bring to
naught the efforts of the future. and
at the same time the results already OBJ
tanned
The session of the joint Commission
ers, which began to-day at D. m,
ended at 4 p. m.
UNITED STATES MAY ASSUME
PHILIPPINES DEBT.
WASHINGTON, Oct 27-The inti-
nation conveyed by the American Com
missioners to the Spanish Commission
ers at Mondays session of the peace
conference at Paris that the position
Of the United States in respect to Cuba
and the Cuban debt could not be re-
garded as subject TO change, and con-
sequently the American Commission
ers were ready to proceed with the dis
cussion of other questions under the
protocol, the Paris advices show. had
a decided effect. The one concession
as to Cuba that our Commissioners will
make will be the guarantee of the
United States that life and property
shall be secure in Cuba. This RESPONSE
bility the United States will assume
only until such time as a stable gov
ernment shall be formed and be opera
tive in Cuba There will be no per-
petual guarantee on this score.
Undue significance has been attached
to the dispatch Of a special messenger
yesterday to the President at Phila-
delphia. Almost every day a long re-
port has come by cablegram from Judge
Day telling what had been accomplish
ed what the Spanish Commissioners
We're seeking, and what the American
Commissioners proposed to do "a the
next meeting The President has gone
over these reports very carefully in
company with Secretary Hay. and some
times with military or naval experts,
IL their advice seemed to be necessary.
Yesterdays report was very long, and
TO have reduced 1t to cipher code for the
purpose of telegraphing it 70 Philadel-
phia would have consumed more time
and been less satisfactory in results
than the services of a messenger. AS
a vital stage had been reached, ii was
thought advisable not to delay until
the PRESIDENTS return, and so Assist
ant Secretary Cridler's confidential
clerk was sent to Philadelphia with the
daily report.
Ii Is expected that the Commission
ers VIII now take up the subject of the
Phihppines. The American Commits
sioners have given this subject much
attention, but SO far it has never ap-
peared before the joint commission
save In the shape of one spasmodical
effort made by the Spanish at the very
beginning of the sessions to have the
United States abandon Manila as pre-
cedent to further negotiations on the
subject of the Philippines.
The American Commissioners. among
other things, have been looking into
the subject of the Philippine debt
about which there is much ignorance
at this end Of the line 1t is unlikely
that the same rule will be applied to
that debt as was insisted upon relative
to the Cuban debt. In other words. If
the United States annexes the Philip