Evening star., 1899-03-17
PEACE WITH SPAIN
Queen Regent Signs the Treaty With
This Country.
has BEEN FORWARDED TO N. ChMB0N
French Ambassador Will Make Ex-
change With the President.
NO DECREE TO BE PUBLISHED

| MADRID, March 1.-THE queen regent
has signed the treaty of peace between
| Spain and the United States.
The signed treaty of peace will b. for
warded to the French ambassador at Wash
| ington. NJ. Jules Cambon. for exchange
with the one signed by President Mckinley
No decree on the subject will be published
in the official gazette.
The draft of the treaty of peace between
Spain and the United States was signed In
Paris on December 10. 1S:.S. 1t was aD-
proved by the United States Senate by a
vote of 81 to ~ on February 6 and was
signed by the President on February TO-
VIII Come Through French Embassy.
In the absence of any means of direct dip
lomatlc communication between the United
States and Spain, Secretary Hay expects
to receive his first formal notice of the rat
iffcatfon of the peace treaty by the queen
regent through the medium of the French
embassy here
The next step must he taken by Spain;
that Is, she must name her special envoy
ard notify the United States government
oil the probable date upon Whicn he will
present himself in Washington with the ex-
change copy of the treaty of peace Al
though in most instances little more than a
perfunctory ceremony, in the case of the
exchange Of ratiiicaticns of This treaty the
dttdlls VIII Dt OF more IMAM ordinary inter-
est. Tor the occasion is certain 10 be his
torical.
Senator Frye who was one of the callers
upon the Secretary Of State this morning.
Wheh congratulated upon the success of the
treaty, with the making of which he had
so much to do, replied that it should have
be ell signed many months ago, and the rat
ification of the treaty by the Senate shouId
taNe been had within ten days after its
submission to the Senate. Had these things
been done, he said, there would have been
no hgntlng in the Philippines, with the
hedVy expense involved.
The news of the signature of the peace
treaty by the Queen Regent of Spain at
Madrid today was received with great sat
isfacti9n by Secretary Hay. If it was re-
garded as desirable by the Spanish govern
ment to act with speed in completing the
formalities necessary TO give full effect to
the treaty there was no reason known to
the department why the special envoy who
would be charged with the exchange of
rauhcations by the Spanish government
should not start from Madrid for Washing
ton Immediately, in which case the cere-
mony might take place within a fortnight.
Case of the Spanish Prisoners
The action taken today at Madrid cannot
in any manner affect the status of the
Spanish prisoners in the hands of Aguinal-
do, for the United States government is do
ing all Il can to secure their release through
the only legitimate means, namely, through
overcoming their captcrs Still it is appre-
hended that the Spanish government, be
ing able TO address itself directly to the
United States government as soon as the
ratlhcadtonS are exchanged. will not neglect
| TO press the matter upon the attention of
| the State Department. and perhaps will
solicit authority to resume direct negotia-
| tions with the insurgents looking to the
release of the prisoners.
The hope is entertained however. that il
| may be unnecessary to decline such re-
! quest. for by that date the insurrection
M hll lFly Il,1
i government should insist, however some
| dlsaSreeable questions may be raised. in
! volving the formal recognition of the in
| surgents by Spain. in which case perhaps
it might claim the right to deal directly
| with Aguna!dO.
! Must Await Exchange of Ratifications
| Contrary to an expectation that seemed
| to have obtained in some quarters the sig
| nature of the treaty today does not involve
| the immediate discharge Of all of the vol
| urteer soldiers. 1t was stated positively at
| the State Department that legally the
treaty does not go into effect until the rati-
| ticatiOns have been exchanged. and it will
further be necessary for the President to
proclaim ii before the people Of the United
| States. Including the soldiers. can know
officially that the war is over
In all other respects the State Depart
/ Elent Will treat the aS at an end
| 1t is believed that the new Spanish minis
ter Will come prepared. Immediately after
making the exchange of ratihcations, to in
| sutute negotiations for a treaty of trade
| commerce and amity, the old treaty having
| been nullined by the outbreak of war, and
| II ere beng nothing in the way of a formal
convention to protect trade between the
| United States and Spain. Also one of the
INST duties of the officials IN the War De-
| ps rtme1t. who charged with the ad-
| mlnistration of he customs affairs of the
lhsular possessions of the United States
| will be to prescribe regulations to give eff
| feet to the pledge of the United States to
afford Spanish commerce with the Philip
| pines and West Indies favored treatment
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nNNIRlS sUNsS