The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-15

Washington, Sept 14.-Three mem
bers Of the peace commission, Mr.. Day,
Senator Davis and Whitelaw Reid, were
in conference for two hours at the state
department today. Senator Frye, il
was stated, would arrive tomorrow and
join in the conferences of the commits
sioners. The plans Of Senator Gray, the
fifth member, are not exactly known,
although he, too, is expected 10 join
his associates in their conference to-
morrow.
The president will give Q dinner at
he White House tomorrow night, at
which the commissioners viii be the
principal guests. all the members Of
the cabinet in the city also being pres
ent. 1t is stated positively that the
dinner viii be entirely of Il social char
acter, and the reports that il will serve
the purpose of a ful and final discus
sion of the Philippine question are I'M
warranted. The commissioners viii
leave here for New York on Saturday
The meeting today was for the pur-
pose Of going over the entire situa-
tion. The same rigid reticence which
has thus far prevailed continues 10 be
observed and as the commissioners
came from their two hours meeting
they positively declined TO discuss any
questions relating to the commission.
Leading members Of the commission
stated positively that all reports rela-
tive TO the Instructions of the commits
sionars or the attitude of the United
States. were purely conjectural 1t is
pointed Qua that the interests of this
country might be seriously prejudiced
If its attitude were made known in adj
vance Of the meeting at Paris, so that
the commissioners have agreed to au-
tboriZe no statement of their views as
a body or as individuals.
ACCEPTED BY SPAIN.
Much satisfaction was expressed to-
day over the reports from Madrid that
the lower house of parliament had
passed the government bill accepting
the terms of the protocol. The upper
house already has passed this meas
ure, 81 that the last fear of the legisla-
tive opposition to the transfer of Cuba.
the Ladrones and Porto Rico is over.
The authorities here feel that this car
ries US by a danger point. sas it has
been feared for some time that the
animosity in the Spanish cortes would
lead 10 the defeat of the Sagasta min
istry or the question Of evacuating the
Spanish islands. either in one branch
or the other.
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 def
nitely in favor of not permitting Spain,
under any conditions, to retain sOver-
eighty in any part of the Philippine
Islands, is based on a misconceptions
as the members of the cabinet and the
members of the peace. commission re-
fuse absolutely TO discuss the subject
with newspaper men, and therefore
whatever is said is based more or less
on inference or roundabout informa-
tion.
COMMISSIONERS ATTITUDE.
It is not doubted that the commits
sion will start the negotiations at Paris
with the assertion that we have con-
quered Spain in the Philippines and
THAI Spanish sovereignty has already
been forfeited there. This will not,
however, necessarily signify that it is
the purpose of the administration to
retain possession of the entire group
of islands. or to permanently deprive
Spain of all her possessions in the Pa
cific. 1t is not believed that the adj
ministration has gone beyond the de-
termination to retain the whole of the
island of Luzon. but ii 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 condition
upon which government shall be es-
tablished there.
The matter of relinquishing posses
sion Of the rest Of the islands is in
volved with so many conditions to be
considered that il is realized that it
may by force of circumstances become
necessary to deprive Spain permanent
~ of all her possessions in that quar-
ter. 1t is understood not to be a mat
ter of policy to acquire all this terri
tory. but it may become a necessity.
The commercial and trade side of the
question. as involy ing the development
and expansion of our commerce in the /
Pacific, is occupying chief attention in 4
connection with determining our policy. |
ATTITUDE OF JAPAN.
Tho newspapers reaching the state |
department. in the official mails from /
the east, show that the almost usivcr- 1
sal expression in the public press OF I
Japan is in favor Of the United States /
holding permanently and governing the |
Philippine islands The position taken /
is that this will be in the interest of /
peace. commerce and good government. /
The editorials insist that this is the /
only issue of the matter that win sat |
isfy the highest interests of the islands /
and the demands OF civilization. The 4
papers declare that the United States. |
in assuming the control of the islands, /
viii receive the moral support, if not !
he active pO-OnPrafion Of TaDaO and |