The evening times., 1898-08-20
NAMING THE Commission
Difficulties Delaying the Selec-
ton Of Peace ENJOYS.
JUDGE DAY A STORM CENTER
Senator Davis Said to Ghject to
Serving Under n Chairman Whose
Notions of Americas Rights I'm
the Philippines Are Apparently
Against the Policy Of Expansion.

There seems to be a hitch in the Sc
lection of peace commissioners. a hitch
that may lead to grave complications be-
fore the plenipotentiaries are finally
chosen.
1t will be remembered that Senator
Cushman X. Davis. chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, hes.-
tated to serve when the place was first
rendered to him, giving as an excuse
the fact that he is in the midst of a cam
pa3gn for the retention of his seat In the
Senate.
The point was made by those who
thought the chairman, of all other Ameri-
can statesmen, was the most eiigsoie'
that his excuse was weak; that II ne
were a member of the Paris body the
eyes of the world would be upon him and
that his campaign in Minnesota would
take care of itself.
1t develops that Mr.. Davis doesn't OBJ
ject so much to serving on the commits
sion as he does object to serving under
chairman whose notions of America
rights in the Philippines are definitely Fix
ed against the policy of expansion.
Senator Davis doesn't believe that the
case should be prejudged.
There is much gossip at the White
House to this effect, and there is further
ross sip watch credits Senator Allison's dec
lination to serve to reasons somewhat
similar.
1t is generally asserted that Senator AL
lison had about made up his mind last
Monday that he could consistently accept,
but since then he has plainly intimated
that he would prefer his Senatorial du-
ties to the role of an international peace
maker.
Allison considers himself too big
man to be dictated to, even by the Presi-
dent" is the way one gentleman put it
after talking with the senator.
This may or may not be true, but it
seems certain that he feels himself too
big a man to play second fiddle to Secre-
tary Day.
The President has not yet made up his
mind as to the future of the Philippines,
and, it is said, that whoever the commits
sioners may be they will find Judge Day
the mouthpiece of the Administration,
md the Administration will be heard from
daily, by cable.
Peace commissioners are not always
rs pacific as their name would indicate.
There were no obscure lawyers engaged
in drafting the treaty of Ghent nor were
the commissioners at that time handi-
capped by daily instructions from Wash
lngton, and yet there was much fric-
tion during the five months that they
were in session.
Zone thing the President may be de-
pended upon to do said an official of
the Department of State today. He
will let the American people have their
way. and of this you may rest assured.
Personally, he is not in favor of annex
ing the Philippines, but if he becomes
convinced that majority of the voters
favor it his influence will be thrown that
way"
1t is the uncertain position of the
President which causes Davis and Alli-
Son TO hesitate to serve.
There is a report in circulation now to
the effect that tho President finding diff
fculty in making selections, may reduce
the number of commissioners to three.
So persistent was this rumor that those
who circulated 1t even went SO far as to
iame members of the less unwieldy
,ody. They were Secretary Day, Joseph
4 Choate and W. Bourke Cochran.
The consensus of opinion is, however.
that the maximum numerical strength
provided for in the protocol will be ad-
aered to.