Evening star., 1898-11-09
JOINT HIGH COMMISSION
Meeting of Representatives to Discuss Inter
national Questions.

The joint high &C mmission. composed of
representative statesmen of England, Can
ada and the United States, appointed to
confer on questions at issue between this
country and the queens dominion to the
north. will meet in Washington tomorrow
for the second time since it's organization.
A meeting of the commission was held here
in November last. when the Canadians
We're warmly received and lavishly enter
tanned by resident and official society In
August last the con mission met al Quebec
and continued the deliberations inaugurat-
ed here. 1t is believed the forthcoming
sessions of the international arbitrators
here will conclude the business before the
commission and that a formal treaty COW
orinG all the points decided with regard to
closer relations between Canada and the
United States viii result.
The meetings cf the commission are held
behind closed doors. and only meager~re-
ports of the progress made are given out
fer publication. EX-Secretary of S ate
John w. Foster today tolo a reporter fer
The Star, however, that the work Was
fairly well in hand, although, 40 progress
had been made since the adjournment IN
Quebec: the discussion to he taken Up just
where 1t was interrupted. - a
The commission will meet tomorrow
morning at II o'clock in the diplomatic
room in the State Department. The mem
b6TS, alter personal greetings nave been
exchanged, will pay their RESPECTS to the
Secretary of State, Mr.. John Hay. and
afterward call to greet the President at the
White House. Upon the conclusion of this
international etiquette, the commission will
adjourn to its conference headquarters in
the Sumner annex to the Arlington Hotel.
whore the light and airy rooms of the third
floor have been secured for the diplomats
Use. Here the commissioR will go into
secret session Daily meetings Will doubt
less be held but the details of this. the
third sitting, will be decided upon after all
the commissioners are in the city.
Sir WiIfrcd Laurier Absent.
Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Canadian pre-
mier will be unable to attend The present
meeting of the commission, as the cere-
monies in the dominion attending the ar
rival this week of the new governor gen.
elal of the provinces, will demand his pres
ence and entire attention for some time to
come 1t is expected all of the remaining
members Of the organization will be pres
ent tomorrow morning. A majority of the
commissioners will reach Washington this
afternoon, the Canadians stopping at the
Arlington Hotel. Many of the American
commissioners have their own houses in
the city, but, being at home for the purpose
OF voting, will not begin arriving here until
this evening
Gen. Foster has been In Washington sew
eral days arrai ging for the sessions of the
ccmmlssion-Chandler p Anderson repre-
senting the Americans; w. c. Cartwright,
Tor Great Britain. and Henry BouraSsa,
M. p, for the Canadians-Wilt be on hand
some time during the afternoon. it is ex-
pected, ready to begin their labors with
the statesmen early tomorrow morning.
How long the commissioners will remain in
session is problematical, but if possible the
work will be concluded before the distin-
gulshed visitors from the queens American
possession leave the capital city.
Subjects of Importance.
There are many subjects of international
Importance to claim the attention Of the
commission, not the least of which will be
an attempt TO settle the Alaskan boundary
portance since the rich gold discoveries in
that region within the last year. The At
lantlc hSheries and the question Of allow
ing warships of the two nations or the
great lakes will doubtless come in for eX
tended consideration, while the Klondik Ike
miners Will also have their respective IN
teres;s finally defined. 1t Is said Canada IS
anxious for some scheme of reciprocity be-
tween the dominion and the United States,
possibly free trade. 1t is certain that re-
adjustment of the tariff rates in crossing
the border will be one of the results of the
labors of the joint high commission. The
Americans will insist for the present that
the rates of import duties shall not be
higher with respect to American-made
goods than enforced upon articles imported
from England. Closer relations between
Canada and the United States countries
mutually dependent upon one another to
large extent. are certain to follow the COM
pletion of the commissions work.