The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-14
PUBLIC HAS NO PART
In the Instructions to Issue to the
Peace commissioners

Washington D. c., Sept i3--After q
session lasting nearly two and half hours.
the cabinet took recess until $50 O'Clock
this afternoon The situation at Manila
was discussed at some length. but tbs prin-
cipal business Of the meeting was the dis
cussion % the letter OF instructions 20 be
given 10 the commission which viii meet
In Paris TO formulate . treaty OF peace
with Spain. Several % the members OF
the members OF the cabinet who were tax
ing their vacations were recalled by the
president TO attend today's meeting. The
letter OF instructions viii not be made pub
lie, but it IS understood that It is compre-
hensiye in character and in addition 10
making plain the general policy OF the
government on all important points. Il
covers ali the details that can now be
foreseen and provided for. II is assumed.
however. that many questions are likely
to arise during the deliberations Of the
joint commission upon which the Aneri-
can members viii require specific cable in
strucuons from the president
Secretary Day has not yet sent his res!g-
nation TO the president, but no doubt viii
do so within day or two.
The cabinet at It's second session today
continued the discussion Of the instructions
70 be given 10 the American members Of
the peace commission. Although the docu-
ment Is practically agreed upon as a whole,
the matter VIII be left open until the meet
ing here OF the members OF the commits
sion, TWO days hence. when a final revision
will be made. II is the presidents wish,
q q aynraSzsS ~
nothing concerning the instructions be
made public. Indeed, so thoroughly did
this understanding obtain among the mem
bers Of the cabinet that Secretary Day
authorized the statement that so far from
making public any announcement OF the
instructions to be given the peace comm!s-
sioners the president and cabinet had de-
cided positively to do all IN their power to
prevent any publicity in the matter.
Il IS believed that the president has not
finally and definitely concluded upon line
OF policy respecting the Philippines, wheth-
er they should be retained or relinquished
He was strongly disposed at the time OF
the signing of the protocol TO acquire moth
ing more than a coaling station, br per
haps a naval station at most, in the Phil
4SS-AAGS LOIl LLlC many -AkNE4AlcS DE has
made OF public men and from the notice
he has taken OF the attitude assumed to-
ward this question by the press OF the coun-
try, It is inferred that he Is still open 10
conviction as 70 the best line Of policy TO
be pursued, and it is probable that his
principal purpose IN calling the cabinet
meeting today was TO gather from the
members their personal opinions which
are supposed to be freshly acquired from
contact with the people where they have
been, as in the case Of Secretary Long and
others paying visits to their native states.
One element in the cabinet IS disposed to
postpone the final decision on the future
Of the Philippines. arguing that the matter
might safely be left to the discretion Of
the peace commissioners. and pointing out
that important developments changing the
whole aspect of the question could fairly
be expected before the Joint commission
had taken up the subject for consideration