The evening times., 1899-03-16
SPANS RED BOOK ON
PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
Senor Rios Details the Work
at Paris.
Tactful Efforts to Prevent Re
newal Of HostilitieS.
Moments when n Renewal of Hostil-
titles Seemed NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
some Philippine Question.

New York, March 16.-The Herald in
fits Washington correspondence tOd1y pub
fishes the substance of the contents of the
Spanish Red Book relating TO the Peace
negotiations recently presented TO the
Cortes by the Minister of State at Madrii.
The documents throw an interesting
light on the negotiations of the confer
cree in Paris detailing the moves made
by the Spanish Commissioners in their ef
forts 10 shoulder upon the United States
the great Cuban debt, and to preserve 10
Spain the Philippine archipelago.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the
documents is that which indicates that the
Spaniards were apprehensive up to the
time of the signing of the Treaty that the
United States would break of negotiations
and resume hostilities, while the fear on
the part OF this Government was that the
Spanish Commissioners would Withdraw,
and thus necessitate the continuance OF
warlike operations.
The book shows that the Spanish Com
mission and the Spanish government were
convinced that the Treaty concluded was
the least preJudicial 10 Spain, considering
the circumstances surrounding the nego-
nations and il is expressly stated by Moa-
tero Rios, president of the Spanish Com
mission, that the Commission believed
that the United States proposed to annex
the Island of Cuba, notwithstanding the
disclaimers made by this Government.
Complaints From senior Rios.
The book opens with the invitation of the
French government for the American and
Spanish Commissioners to conduct their
negotiations in the Sale des Conferences
at the foreign Office The first message
between the Commissioners relates 10 the
request of the Spanish Commissioners for
maintenance Of the status quo existing in
the Philippines at the time of signing the
protocol. to which the Americans replied
thai that a matter in the way of set
Element between the two governments and
as Commissioners they had no jurisdiction.
Commenting upon this. the Spanish Min
lister for Foreign Affairs stated that con-
sidering the conduct observed by the
American troops in the Philippines their
Commissioners in Paris would naturally
evade any answer to the questions pro-
pounded TO them by the Spanish Commits
tioners as TO the status in those islands,
and that the excuse given by the American
Commissioners certainly was very unsat-
isfactory.
Senor Rios complains on October that
TIE American Commissioners. In the draft
the REIMBURSEMENT of the sovereignty over
Cuba dc not suggest in whose favor such
relinqUishmeni is to be made and he calls
attention to the fact that its acceptance
of This would prevent Spain from demand
ing through the Treaty thai the United
States or any ether power should assume
the obligations and burdens OF all kind!
now resting on Spain and which grew ou
Of the exercise of her sovereignty over Gu
la.
The irmness OF the belief of the Spanish
Commission that the United States pro-
posed to annex Cuba is found in these ex-
tracts in a letter from Senior Rios 10 the
minister OF foreign affairs dated October
l.:
Upon observing that the paper present
ed in writing by the American Commits
sioners rejecting our draft OF the first two
articles OF the Treaty was based on The
supposition that we proposed therein thai
the United States accept The soyereigaty
over Cuba 10 transfer il al the proper
time 10 the Cuban people, / called theil
attention to the Inaccurate translation o.
our article, which does not say that tht
United States must accept the sovereignty
over the Island of Cuba 10 transfer ii Al
. the proper time TO the Cuban people bu
that they may transfer it al the proper
time 10 that people
This correction produced visible ef-
feet on the minds OF the American Comnis-
siOners, which seemed to confirm us in oul
former presumption that the United States
proposed TO annex the island OF Cuba They
do not manifest this conclusively but or
the contrary, neither do they desire thai
the obligations which they spontaneously
contracted TO transfer the said sovereignty
90 the people of Cuba should be recorded
in the Treaty, and. above all. they do no
wish that Spain should reserve in tn,
Treaty the right of demanding of then
performance of this Ohli9aticn
''Presuming the purpose of annexation
which the American Government enter
tains, should improve In the comm,
discussions the benefits which It offers u
advantageous to Spain. The United State
in their joint resolution spontaneousl,
stated that they did not denpnd of Spain
the sovereignty over the island of Cuba
save 10 transfer il TO the people there tina
they might become independent Spain
therefore, would be acting perfectly righ
IN demanding the performance Of this spon.
taneous obligation. Upon not demanding
IL ii does them service which require
proportional compensation.
This commission understands that
should limit itself wholly to not demanding
this performance. but abstaining from an,
manifestation whatever, either for o
against annexation. If annexation is agree
able to the United States, this commission
believes that they viii surely carry il int
effect without the necessity of re
Questing il of Spain and II
IS not agreeable this commission ais
understands that Spain absolutely lack
means of imposing il upon them. TIL
United States viii remain after the treat
in the same situation they were when Con
gress approved the joint resolution of Apri
20 Of this year"
Suggests Happy Medium.
In confidential dispatch to the ministe
OF foreign affairs. Senor Rios, under tn
date OF October is, says the United State
demands the abandonment Of the West In