The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-11-09
NEGOTIATIONS
NOT INTERRUPTED.
But Spanish Reject Amerl
can Proposition to Take
Philippines.

Paris, Nov. 4,-The Spanish com
missioners, in the course of two
hours session of the peace confer
ence to day, fatty refused to accept
the proposition made last Monday
by the Americans to take the entire
Philippine group and to reimburse
Spain for her pacific expenditures
there.
This negative decision was ex
pected. The Spanish commissioners
had also number of positive decla
rations which filled some 81 sheets Of
a typewriter presentment In this
statement the Spaniards held that the
United States had not ultimate rights
in the Philippine islands and could
have none save by the consent of
Spain in these negotiations and upon
terms satisfactory to her. Accord
ing to the Spanish contention of the
formal statement, the United States
entertained no thought Of annexing
the Philippines when the protocol
was signed, or it would have been
expressed in the protocol as clearly
as the conditions regarding the ces.
sion of territory in the Antilles and
the Orient. NJ. Cambon, be-
fore the signature of the
protocol, received from Madrid
the presentment alleged cable
message clearly setting forth the
maintenance of Spain's authority
over the Philippine islands should
not be affected By the protocol, to
which reservation the United States
made at that time no protest or ob
lection.
This dispatch to NJ Cambon, as
the Spaniards claimed to-day. EN-.
bodied also the view that the United
States had no valid basis for claim in
the archipelago
1t was further held to-day by
Senor Rios and his colleagues that
the capitulation of Manila, bav-
ing occurred sf:er the signing of the
protocol and thus after the suspen.
sion Of hostilities was invalid.
With all this Cor a groundwork, the
Spaniards made their fret positive
move against the Americans, and it
constituted their counter proposition.
They charged upon the United States
a wrongful appropriation of public
monies belonging to Spain by seiz
ing the tariff duties at Manila, and
they formally demanded the re
turn Of these monies, in the sum OF
nearly million dollars.
On the same premises the United
States was to day declared to have
made and held as prisonersthe Spanish
troops at Manila on the violation
of international law. because done
after the suspension of hostiIities un-
der the protocol 4 further charge
was that by the imprisonment of the
Spanish troops at Manila, the United
States had prevented Spain from
ouelling the insurrection and had
thus contributed to the violence
against Spain after the cessation OF
hostilities
To days Spanish presentment also
cited the refusal of the Americans to
consider the Cuban debt, on the
ground tha, it was not sactiored in
the protocol, and demanded an ad.
berence to this as precedent in the
discussion of the Philippines, regard
ing cession Of which the Spanish
commissioners held the protocol to
make no mention
The presen,ment was read by In
terpreter Ferguson, being rendered
from the Spanish, In which i. was
written into the English
At the close Of the reading the
Americans said they wished to have
the Spanish statement rendered into
written English for careful considera
ton and au adjournment was taken to
Tuesday.