Evening journal., 1898-08-27
COMMISSION FILLED.
Justice White and Whitelaw
Reid Accept Appointments.
ATTACHES OF COMMISSION CHOSEN.
john II. Moore, Secretary; j. II. Nae
Arthur, Assistant Secretary
Had Beon slated as Embas-
sador to England.


WASHINGTON Aug. q. - Justice
White of the supreme court OF the Unit
ed States has reluctantly accepted APP
pointment as a member Of the commits
sion TO arrange terms OF peace with
Spain. The reason for his reluctance
was that two members OF the supreme
court-Chief Justice Fuller and Justice
Brewer-are members Of the Venezuelan
arbitration commission and will prob
ably be absent much Of the time during
the next term OF the court Justice
White doubted the advisability OF hav-
Ing still another member Of the court
absent from the bench, and this consid-
GRAFTON led him at first to decline the
appointment. He considered his decl-
nation as final, but the president and
all the members OF the cabinet united in
irging him to reconsider his determine
tlon, and the president last evening re-
ceved a message from him accepting
the place on the commission. The COM
plete commission consists OF Secretary
Day, Senators Frye and Davis. Justice
White and Whitelaw Reid.
The following attaches OF the peace
commission have been selected and win
be appointed by the president: John
Moore Of Massachusetts, now assistant
secretary of state TO be secretary of
the commission, and j. r. Macarthur
of New York TO be assistant secretary.
Mr.. Macarthur was formerly the first
secretary OF the United States legation
at Madrid and is now on special duty
at the state department He has had
considerable experience in. work Of a
diplomatic nature These appointments
were decided on by the president yes
terday afternoon.
In making up the peace commission
the president has disposed Of one Of the
most delicate tasks he had before him.
1t can be stated semiohicially that the
president has not hawked these posi-
tions around among his political friends,
nor has any man declined TO serve on
the commission. No tenders were made
by the president for this important ma
tional duty which were not accepted.
Those gentlemen who were invited to
serve regarded Il in the nature Of
command from the people Of this nation
through their president
The disposition to protest against the
policy Of the administration with re-
gard to the Philippines is very strong in
certain quarters.
The statement that Spain is calcu-
lating upon inducing the United States
to assume the Cuban war debt comes in
the nature Of a surprise TO those who
have concentrated their attention upon
the Philippines as the great question
20 be disposed Of by the peace commits
sion.
The personnel Of the United States
commission is generally approved. and
Il Is felt that American interests will
be sacredly guarded by them.
Up TO Thursday Whtelaw Reid was
slated for ambassador TO England as
the successor Of John Hay all state
ments TO the contrary Notwithstanding.
He was asked to accept the English
mission more than two weeks ago and
he promptly accepted IL. Circumstances
required his services on the peace COM
mission and like other members he
could not decline TO serve. Mr.. Reid
would probably have preferred to take
the English mission, but he accepted the
assignment TO the peace commission
cheerfully.
There were a number of protests made
against the appointment of Mr.. JUS
tice White on account Of his religion.
The president brushed those objections
aside by saying that Mr.. Justice White
is an American. and nothing has oc-
Cured during the war with Spain to in
dicate that the members of the Catholic
church in the United States have been
less patriotic than the members Of any
other religious denomination.
The president is very well satisfied
with the make up Of the commission
and. having relieved his mind of that
important duty, he is considering the
necessity for taking a brief vacation
which begins today with a visit to his
brother in Pennsylvania.