The Portland daily press., 1898-10-04
TO VERGE or FIGHTING
Spain Will Resist Surrender OF
Philippines.
BELIEVED MERRITT WILL NOT
ADVOCATE RETENTION.

Will Report That Natives Are Incapable
of Self Government-The General Has
Arrived But Has Not Met Peace Com
mission-Believe Work Will Be Com
pIeted Within a Month,
Paris, October 3.-Major General Mer-
ritt, who commanded the American
troops at Manila, arrived here this morn
ing from Marseilles for the purpose OF
giving the United States peace commits
sion the benefit of his observations In the
Philippine islands.
He repaired to the Grande Hotel de
L'Athenee and declined to be inter-
viewed, as he was suffering from fatigue
The general did not see the United
States commissioners before the opening
of the joint session today.
The American commissioners held
session this morning at their own othces
prearatory to the second meeting WIN
the Spanish commissioners, which began
at the commissions rooms in the foreign
office Immediately after their assembling
there at O'Clock this afternoon.
The plan of work directed to be pre-
pared by the secretaries has not been per-
fected, as the Fecretary of the spanish
commission did not arrive here until
today.
The American commissioners will be
received by President Faure at O'CLOCK
on Tuesday afternoon.
Tooay's session lasted until O'Clock,
at which hour the commissioners an
jourped to meet at Q O'Clock next friday
afternoon, such interval being desirable
and necessary to allow separate con-
sideration by each commission OF maIuefs
requiring such course before the joint
commission.
The secretary of the Spanish COM
mission will arrive tonight While the
American com missioners were at luncn
today, Gen. Merritt called at their hotel,
but he did not wait to see them. he
will call again tomorrow morning to meet
the members of the commission. Inc
Spanish and American commissioners
will be received tomorrow by Presloent
Baure The hour fixed for the reception
of the Americans is 4.45 O'Clock p. m.
Gen. Merritt will accompany the Ameri-
cans to this function which will be held
at the Palace de L. 'Elysee. The opinion
is now held that the work OF the com
mission may be finished within montn
from the present time.
While it is the general impression tnat
today's meeting was again devoted TO
preliminaries and tho adjournment to
FRIDAY was taken only to enable the sec
retaries to draw up schedule OF work,
the representative of the Associated Press
learns that the session was highly I'M
portant and that the Americans have
made demand of such character that
the Span1ards found Unnecessary to ask
for an adjournment in order to enable
them to consult with the government
at Madrid. 1t is believed that the ques-
ton concerns the Philippines and it ts
known that the Americans are highly de-
lighted at having SO coon reached what
they regard as very impor tant phase OF
the negotiations and consider the two ses-
sions thus far held as very satisfactory
! to America.
The fact that member of the COM
mission expressed the belief that work
would he completed within month, in
dioates happy frame of mind.
In the Spanish camp, great hopes are
built on what they believe Gen. Mer-
ritt will advise, namely, that the Philip
pines are incapable of self government
and that .the whole t situation does not
warrant America in taking the RESPONSE
bility for the entire Philippines The
Spaniards are quite ready to give what
ever America asks in the way OF coal
ing stations, bNt will resist mora to the
verge of renewal of hostilities.