The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-26
LAURIER INSISTS ON ALL
NO HALFWAY ARBITRATION
WILL SUIT THE PREMIER
The First Meeting of the Joint High
Commission Held Behind Closed
Doors, but Rumor Says That De-
cided Differences of Opinion Have
Already Developed-NOthin Off,
ciaI Given Out by Either Side.

QUEBEC, Aug. 25.-The arbitration
commissioners assembled for their first
joint business meeting at the parlia-
ment buildings today. The meeting
was absolutely private. Although lit
tie is said by the commissioners them
selves, there is considerable discussion
in the Canadian newspapers and among
those indirectly connected with the
conference concerning two points upon
which the commission may fail to
agree.
Statements and interviews have been
printed in the Canadian papers to the
effect that the American commissioners
will insist that the present preferen-
tial tariff of the Dominion in favor of
England must be done away with be-
fore any concessions on the part of the
United States will be made. Under the
present arrangement Canada admits
products from England % per cent less
than the duty imposed on products
from the United States and other coun-
tries. Congressman Dingley has been
quoted in the Montreal papers as MAX
Ing such a statement, but he denies
having made such an assertion, or 9TH
er statement Of like nature
1t is said also that Sir Wilfred Lau-
rlers position may become an obsta-
Gle in the way of the commissions sue
cess. The assertion IS made that Sir
Wilfred steadfastly declines to consid-
er the arbitration or adjustment OF
any one matter under discussion until
the Americans viii agree to a final SET
tlement of all the questions. He will
insist upon a complete cleaning up OF
all the differences or none at ALL
But all this is the talk of the news
papers and outsiders. Neither Sir Will
fred Laurier nor the commissioners will
discuss any of these points beyond the
denial of the Dingley interview.
OVER TILL MONDAY.
The commission adjourned this after
noon until IL a. m. next Monday. After
that they will probably meet daily un-
til Sept. 2, after which an adjourn
ment will be taken until Sept. 20. The
commissioners decline to give out any
thing concerning the details of today's
work, but intimate a number of SUBJ
Jects We're discussed. The full scope
of the work was not canvassed, nor is
1t determined just now how much the
commission will be able to accomplish
in the way of a general adjustment of
the subjects under consideration Be-
fore the conference adjourns for it's re-
cess, 1t is expected a programme will
be pretty Well mapped out 1t is not
known whether the commission will
meet during the short term of congress-
There is project to have the meetings
continue at Ottawa, but this will not
be determined until Sept. 2. Meantime
the commission will have general dis
cussions. Joint meetings are held be-
hind closed doors, at which only the
members and secretaries are permitted
to be present.
No delegations have appeared during
the past two days for hearing. In fact.
the commissioners do not expect to be
called upon to grant many more hear
ings. They will work out the details of
each question and then in general ses-
sion determine what settlement. If any.
can be arrived at between the two
countries