America and Spain.

Manawatu Herald, 21 January 1899, Page 2

America and Spain.

« — _^ SIGNING THE PEACE TREATY. • ENORMOUS FEES TO THE COMMISSIONERS. When the treaty of peace between the United Stains and Spain was signfid at Paris ihft =c^nfi w«s not without theatrical f-aturas. Th Spanish Coraniiasioners sit patient, apd appeared to be p'unged in th j deepest grief. Tho Am j ric*n< wi jrids'evs.^d for a dinner to b- given directly after signing Ten arbiters of thf 'levt.i'.y of an o'd and a young nation sat grouped about tha great mah. 'g*ny table, and numerous atlbt-.} e/wer.e in qttenda ice. No one c iiifd withhold sympithy from S i nor Montero Rioa. who cam- 1 from his sick bed bundled in a great overcoat. The English and then th j Spanish version of the treaty were read, and the two copies ware passed round the table, the Commissioners signing in the order of their rank. Considerable remark has been made on the announcement that exSecretary of State Day and Mr Whitelaw Eeid, members of the Peace Commission, will receive at hast lOO.OOOdoI each for their services at the conference. Mr James Bassett More, secretary to the Commission, will receive 50 dollars. Three other members are United States Senators, but will receive no compensation other than their expenses for assisting the negotiations. These large sums are payable without reference to Congress, out of the National Defence Fund. The justification for such enormous fees is found in diplomatic usage. The fees and expanses of the attached will be a mere bagatelle when compared to the enormous sum paid to Day, B°id and Moore for their seivi:es for 96 days.