The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-02
PEACE TREATY MAY
NOT BE AFFECTED.
Resignation of the Sagasta rlinistry
Does Not Necessarily Involve Re-
jeCtiOn--Spain Would Be Loser.

Washington March 2-The resgna-
tlon OF the Sagasta cabinet I'm Spain
state department officials say does not
necessarily. In their opinion. involve the
failure OF the peace treaty. They be-
Heve that the succeeding cabinet Will
find the means TO forward the treaty TO
the point OF ratification. and that the
opposition TO the government will ex-
press itself az content with the mani
festation Of disapproval manifested in
forcing the cabinet TO resign The reason
for this belief is that the Spanish gov
ernment has much more to lose by the
failure OF the treaty OF Paris than has
the United States.
Leaving aside the desire of our people
20 be regular and correct in all attitudes.
II is a question whether our government
would not actually profit by the loss OF
the treaty, provided this loss could be
charged to the action of the Spanish gov
ernment. as would be the case IL the
cortes refused to ratify It. The United
States. II can be stated on the highest
authority. would refuse to surrender the
Philippines. and on the whole would be
relieved from the treaty obligations TO
pay the Spanish government $50, ,000, 900
on account OF the cession OF the islands.
Cuba would retain her present status,
and all that would be lacking would be
q recognition by the Spanish govern
ment OF the legality OF that status. That
lack would not be OF serious moment.
judging from the fact that the Spanish
American republics managed to get along
without trouble for quarter of a cen
tury after the revolutionists therein had
driven the last OF the Spanish troops out
OF the country without the formal ad-
mission by Spain that they had achieved
their independence.
In case the treaty should fail there
also would be a continuation of the state
OF non-intercourse automatically that
has existed since the outbreak of the war
as technicallythe two countries would be
still at war.
This state OF affairs. though really en-
barrassing in some respects, would not
prevent trade between the United States
and Spain. Trade. I'm fact. has been re-
sumed already and although the United
States is under the necessity OF paying
larger duties upon imports into Spain
than countries favored with the mini
mum tariffs, still the Spaniards are glad
TO buy our wheat and flour and cotton
and other great staples Snd to pay them
selves the additional dulles.
However. as already stated, the Of
ficials here do not believe that the Span
iards will go to the extreme OF defeating
the treaty. and probably the worst that
can happen will be a delay in the ex-
change OF ratifications. These should be
exchanged on or before June 10, which
date is six months from the date of sig
nature OF the treaty in Paris. Should
the time limit expire through the in
ternal troubles in Spain without the ex-
change having been made, il is still pos
sibe for the United States and Spain TO
arrange through the French government,
which has been serving all along as an
intermediary In their relations, for an
exchange OF a later date without dis
turbing the articles Of the treaty at other
points.
Should the Spanish government under
take, however. 10 reopen the negot!a-
tions In the effort 10 secure another
treaty more favorable I'm terms, and
especially as to the cession OF the Philip
pines. than the pending treaty. II will be
doomed TO disappointment. for IT is said
here that If the existing terms are with
drawn those TO follow will be even harder
for Spain to bear.