The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-09-21
ARE iNSPRUCTED..
Peace Commissioners Get Their
Orders from the President.
They VIII Doubtless Adhere Strictly e
the Line Of Policy Mapped Out by Mr..
Mckinley as to Large Questions
and be Allowed Some Latitude
In Minor Matters.

Washington, Sept. 16.-All the mem
bers of the peace commission with the
exception of Senator Gray had an ex-
tended conference with the president
yesterday.
The cabinet met in special session
at o'clock in the afternoon. All
united in the statement made after
the meeting that they had agreed to
say nothing more of the result OF the
deliberations than that the peace COM
missioners had. been fully instructed.
OF the nature of these instructions
they conveyed not word. Each one
pointed out that to do so would be eX-
tremely impolitic and would amount
to arming the Spanish commissioners
in advance against themselves. The
peace commissioners who were ap-
preached on the subject made a sim
liar response.
1t was said that the commissioners
were "fnlly instructed" and upon
seeking a further explanation of this
phase it appeared that the cabinet
had gone over in the discussion with
the commissioners every subject that
in their opinion could be brought into
the proceedings before the joint COM
mission. On each of these the Ameri-
can commissioners were made ac-
uuainted with the views of the admin
istration.
1t is not to be understood from this
that the commissioners go under iron
clad and Interchangeable instructions
at all points, for there is a certain
amount of fexibility in the instruc-
tions; also, as one of the cabinet mem
bers put it, the president might just
as well have reduced his wishes to
paper in the form of an ultimatum and
have sent that to Paris by messen-
ger.
The peace commissioners are in no
sense mere mouthpieces, but, having
chosen with the greatest care five men
in whom he puts the most implicit
confidence, the president feels that
they are to be trusted with the inter
ests of the United States. 1t is not
expected that they will have free
rein in the larger questions of policy,
but with ample opportunities for con-
situations by cable and otherwise
there is no reason why the commits
sioners should not be able to carry out
the desires of the administration, and
at the same time have the opportun-
ity to somewhat shape those desires
by conveying information they; may
acquire. ''"h"
The state department. last night
gave out the following statement con-
cerning yesterdays; discussion be-
tween the members Of the cabinet and
the peace commissioners:
"The commission goes to Paris fully
prepared to follow course of action
mapped out for it as the!result of the
consultations of the last two days
At the very outset, it, will be made
clear to theHSpanish commissioners
that there can be no deviation from ol
modification of the demands made by
the United States. The decision arriv
ed at by the president after a full
consultation with, the members of the
commission subsequently received tht
unanimous approval of the cabinet
New York, Sept. 19.@The United
State commissioners to conclude the
terms of peace with Spain sailed Sat
urday on board the steamer Cam
pania, en- route to Paris.