Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-15
PEACE COMMISSIONERS MEET
Preliminary Conference Held nj ~
State Dnna 1fmnnt

preliminary Conference Held Mt tn,
State Department.
NASHfNGTpS Sept. ,4.-Threc
M MIXERS of the peace commission So.
,s:iry Day Senator Davis and White
law Reid We're in conferences fn, ,v-n
hftrs at the Sta'e Department I.,,l,y
senator Frye, it is stated will arrive
ttl' offoW mOrnirl:: and JON il, the CON
Aci'Hces OF the commissioners Tie
plans of Senator Gray, the fifth mem
per- are not exactly known, although he
to' Is expected y Join his ..ss,.:i;l,es ii,
conference toinorioN. III. Ires.l..l,
wa give dinner ut the Nyl:ite llcu*a
tomorrow night ut which The commis-
Slnners VIII be ihe principal guests Tn.
commissioners Will leave here hsid.,y IN
order to take The Campnnia on Satur-
day.
The meeting a Secretary Days Office
today WAS for t!.,. purp1s. of going ,,yer
the whole question of the peace. SET
tlement.It is the first time Mr. Reid had
exchanged views with his colleagues on
the subject. The same rigid raticcnc,.
which has thus far prevailed continues
to be observed. and us the commission
ers came from their two hours meet
ing they positively declined to discuss
any questions relating to The commits
! sion Lead m nlbers of " tina CON-
mission stated positively all reports re-
lative to the instruction of the commits
sloners. or the attitude of the United
states. were purely conjectural It is
pointed out that the interests of this
country might be seriously prejudiced il
its attitude was made known in adj
vance of the meeting at Paris. so that
the commissioners have agreed among
themselves to authorize no statement of
their views as body or as individuals
There is little doubt that a general
line OF policy was agreed upon between
the President and his cabinet at their
meeting late yesterday afternoon, but
there is good reason for believing that
the assertion that the decision was
definitely in favor of not permitting
Spain under and conditions to retain
sovereignty in any part OF the Philip
pine Islands is based on a misconcep-
ton.
1t is not doubted that the commission
will start the negotiations at Paris with
the assertion that we have conquered
Spain in the Philippines and that Span
ish sovereignty has already been for
feited there. This will NOT, however, ne
ceSSari!y signify that it is the purpose
OF the administration to retain posses
sion OF the entire group of islands or to
permanently deprive Spain of all her
possessions in the Pacific. 1t is not be-
iieved that the administration has gone
beyond the determination to retain the
whole Of the island of Luzon, but it is
understood to be the intention of the
President to establish at the outset the
right OF this government to determine
the fate of the islands and to make the
conditions under which the government
shall be established there. The matte.
of relinquishing possession of the rest
OF the Islands is involved with so many
conditions to be considered that it Is
realized that it may by force o6 cir
cumstances become necessary to deprive
Spain permanently of all her posses
sions in that quarter. 1t is understood
not to be a matter of policy to acquire
all this territory. but it may become
necessity.
The commercial and trade side of the
question. as involving the development
and expansion of our commerce in the
Pacific. is occupying our chief atten-
ton in connection with determining our
policy.