The negotiations for peace between Spsin and America are drawing to a close and the end may be ssid to be in sight in eof the fact that the point that promised most debate and controversy has been but just taken up—that is, the disposition of the Philippines. The Spanish Commissioners contended. with great persistency that the United States should assume the whole or a large part of the so-called Cuban debt of $400,000,000, a debt incurred by Spain chiefly in the military operations resulting from the several rebellions of the Cuban colony. The American Commissioners were as firm in their refusal to grant such a condition and there were threats lest week conse-'The matter was finally settled, however, juontly of a rupture of the negotiations.
in accordance with the American position and the Philippines' question is now ut hund, President McKinloy has at last allowed his decision to become known, the wemspapers agreeing in stating on the authority of their own private sources of news, supplemented by the direct word of x member of McKinley's Cabinet, that the President has decided that America shall keep the whole of the that Spain will be beld "sum of money in Philippines, and leaves it to be understood
recompense, Tt is regarded as certain that the American Commissioners, under the broad authority given them, will not offer less t"
in in exchange for a quit claim to the Philippines than the payment of a sum of money covering the cost of improvements made by the Madrid government in Luzon and the other islands to be annexed. The Philippine "lebt of 1896 was contracted for the express purpose of improving the condition of those colonies, and the information in possession of the Administration at Washington goes to show, it is suid, that much of the amount realised was applied to public improvements in the islands. It has already been do-termined that shall be no assumption of Spanish indebtedness. The Administration prefers to pay cash in lion of assuming obligations contracted by Spain, In its desire to treat its vanquished foe with leniency in arranging for the cession of the Philippines, this Goverament will, Spain will make it necessary to have that document practically ratified by the House of Representatives, the lower branch of Congress, as well as by the Senate, for all try. measures authorising the expenditure of money must, by the Constitution, originate in the House. It is intimated' in some teand to paying Spain anything, but itis quarters that much opposition will be
doubtful if it would be of enough consequence to overthrow a treaty already negotiated.
President McKinley's previous disposition to take the whole of the Philippines was greatly strengthened during the past two weeks in a trip which he has made through the Middle Western part of the country. Every ahu-ion in his speeches to the retention of the islands was vociferously approved and applauded.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.