The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-15
on which negotiations were to be under
taken were embodied in . single document.
DIFFERENCE OF MEANING.

on which negotiations were to be under
taken were embodied in single document.
DIFFERENCE OF MEANING.
But, apart from any reservations in the
note Of the It'll Of August. the Spanish
Commissioners contended that the words
control. disposition and government" did
not comprehend the subject of sovereignty.
In this contention they placed much stress
upon the French text of the protocol. The
protocol was signed both in English and
in French. In fact, the French text was
translation of the English, but both texts
purported to mean the same thing. In the
French text the words control, DISPOSE
ton and government" appeared as "le con-
trole, la disposition ct la gouvernement'
In reality, the French word controle pos
sesses sisnification less extensive than
the English control" 1t denotes super
vision" or inspection" rather than the full
power and authority conveyed IN tho word
control" But the words disposition and
gouvernement have the same extensive
meaning in French that disposition and
government" have in English. The
American Commissioners therefore an
swered that the Spanish contention would
involve, practically. the elimination of the
three words of the English text altogether
and of two of the three words of the
French text Tho position of the Ameri-
can Commissioners was that il was the
object of the clause in question to leave
the whole subject of the Philippines open
for future negotiation and settlement.
Nothing was to be considered as prejudged
against either party. The effect of using
the word sovereignty" would have been
to restrict the negotiations to the question
OF supreme power and control. The
words control, disposition and govern
ment" were broad enough to cover any
form Of adjustment on which the parties
might ultimately agree, including that of
the transfer of sovereignty.
At the 18th conference, on the. 21st of
November, the American Commissioners,
in order to bring the discussions to q close.
presented a final proposition, on the ac-
ceptance or rejection of which the continu-
ancs Of the negotiations was to depend:
This proposition embraced the cession of
the entire archipelago Of the Philippines
and the payment by the United States of
the sum of $4,000 900. and in connection
with this offer the American Commission
ers stated that, ait being the policy of the
United States to maintain in the Philip
| pines an open door to the worlds COM
mercs." they were prepared to insert in the
treaty q stipulation to the effect that, for
term of years, Spanish ships and mer-
chandise should be admitted into the ports
| Of the islands ON the same terms as Ameri-
can ships and merchandise. The PROPOSE
| ton also embraced a mutual relinGuish-
| meut of claims that had arisen since the be-
ginning of the instruction in Cubs in
1895.
As4ULTnfATuM@
In conclusion, the American Commits
sioners expressed the hope that they might
receive from the Spanish Commissioners,
on or before the 2Sth of November. del-
mite and final acceptance of these proposals
and also of the demands as to Cuba. Porto
Rico and other Spanish islands in the West
| Indies, and Guam, in the form in which
those demands had been Professionally
| agreed to. In this event, it would, de-
clared the American Commissioners, "be
possible for the Joint Commission to con-
tinue its sessions and to proceed to the
consideration and adjustment Of other
matters, including those which, as sub
sidinry. and incidental to the principal
provisions, should form part of the treaty
of peace" In particular, the American
Commissioners expressed a desire to treat
Of religious freedom in the Caroline Is
lands, as agreed,to in 1886; of the release
of political prisoners in. connection with
the instructions in Cuba and the Philip
pines; of the acquisition of the island in
the Carolines svariously known as Kusaie.
Ualan, or Strong Island; for naval and
telegraph station: of cable landing rights
at other places in Spanish jurisdiction:
and of the revival of certain treaties pre-
viously in force between the United States
and Spain.
During the week following the submis-
sion of this final proposition the Span
ish Commissioners made by letter various
alternative proposals, as possible substi-
tutes for the American demands. These
proposals were, however, declined; and on
the 2Sth of November the Spanish Com
missioners presented in conference
formal written acceptance of the ultima
tum.
The treaty of peace was signed on the
10th of December. 1t covers the subjects
embraced in the final proposition of the
American Commissioners and such as may
be considered subsidiary and incidental"
thereto. In regard TO none of the addi-
tional points on which the American Com
missioners expressed a desire to treat. ex-
cept that of the release of political pris-
oners, was any stipulation inserted Pro-
posals on all the other points were pre-
scented, but they were rejected by the Span
ish Commissioners, in some cases with the
statement that they might form the sub
ject of future negotiation between the two
Governments. In truth. after more than
two months of constant negotiation and
strenuous discussion. the Joint Commits
sion, having reached a conclusion on es-
sential questions, could go no further. The
situation of the Spanish Commissioners
was from the beginning a difficult one and
the time had come to bring the conference
to close. Moreover, the American Com
missioners had rejected various proposals
of the Spanish Commissioners. including
| one for an investigation and arbitration of
the case of the Maine by an International
Commission.
VERY CAUTIOUS AND CONSIDERABLE.
1t is proper as well as gratifying to
state that, while the consciousness of a
serious conflict of views and of interests
was ever present, the intercourse of the
| two Commissions was characterized by
| the uniform observance of the dictates OF
courtesy and prOpriety. Any reports that
may have got abroad to the contrary were
| founded on misrepresentation. The Com
missioners on both sides were too much
| impressed with the Importance of the work
committed to them to allow its perform
ance to be retarded or put in jeopardy by
displays of personal feeling, even if they
had been disposed to indulge in them. The
American Commissioners, in the last pa
per submitted by them, avaiied themselves
of the opportunity to express their sense
of the thoroughness, learning and devoted
ability. no less than the uniform courtesy,
with which the Spanish Commissioners
had conducted the negotiations then about
to terminate. The President of the Span
sion, declared that 'he had much pleasure
Grafton which had been shown by the
| intercourse during the continuance of the
| - yvhirh noinfuI m