The Portland daily press., 1898-10-03
NO SERVANTS.
Our Commissioners Look Like Cook
Tourists.

A Description Written for Madrid People
The First Meeting of the Peace Nego-
tfators.
n Paris. October 1.-The American and
Spanish peace commissioners assembled
for their first business session at O'Clock
this forenoon in the rooms assigned to
them for their deliberations at the French
foreign Office on the Quai d'Orsay. A
srecial entrance is set apart for the use
of the commissioners in order to furnish
them with every privacy and courtesy
possible.
The session of the commission lasted
80 minutes The next session will take
pIace on Monday at p. m. Both COM
missions maintain a secrecy as to their
proceedings The Americans are the
most prompt in arriving at the foreign
office. Two minutes before the appointed
hour a carriage containing Messrs. Gray
and Reid on the front seat and Messrs.
Day and Davis on the rear seat rolled
through the gates and traversed the
grayelled drive which runs the length of
the building, in front of 1T and between
it flower and plant filled plot protected
from the street by Q high lion railing.
On alighting the American commission
ers entered the apartments and four min
utes later the carriage containing Senior
Leon Castillo, the Spanish ambassador
arrived, and Senior Montero Rias the
president of the Spanish commission and
his three colleagues alighted. They had
scarcely entered the building when Soma
tor Frye and Secretary Moore of the Anne
rican commission arrived and while they
were ascending the steps Senior Castillo
and the fifth Spanish commissioner fol-
lowed them into the foreign Office.
The members of both commissions met
in the foreign office and there renewed
the acquaintance begun on Thursday af-
ter which they proceeded !. to the confer
ence chamber. The Americans took the
side of the table which placed, their backs
to the windows lookingzout upon the gar
dens, the Spaniards facing the windows
from the opposite side of the table. Dur
ing the session of so minutes the in
G6rCOufS0 WAS COuuuCbSu SaelSIooOsAAAy
through the American official interpreter,
Mr.. Ferguson, the Spanish Interpreter not
being present. 1t was agreed by the COM
missioners that no account OF the proceed-
ings should be revealed and it is under
stood that there will be conference obv1-
ating the choice of presiding officer.
There were no speeches today and the
entire session was devoted to mapping
out the future work. But even on this
point nothing definite was arranged.
The two secretaries were ordered to draw
up a programme which would be sub
mitted later to the commission.
The Paris correspondent of the Impair
cial Of Madrid has telegraphsd to his pa.
per that he is amazed at the appearance
of the American commission. He says:
"They do not appear as a delegation of
diplomats, but as Cooks tourists l. here
are some of all sorts-ladies, more or less
young children and even O nurse. Their
luggage fills two omuibuses.,'
1.-The correspondent then give the bio
graphy of each American commissioner.
Of Judge Day he says:
ale, unfortunately, is too well-knoWn
politically. He is d small man. short,
thin and carelessly dressed, with sickly
appearance sallow skin and prominent
cheek bones. There is total of the COM
mission of 81 and not one Of them brings
a servant