Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-09-16
PEACE COMMISSION.
Full Instructions Prepared by
the Cabinet.
NATURE OF INSTRUCTIONS A SECRET
Commissioner VIII Have Consider
nble Leewny - All Arrangements
Made For the Commissions De-
parture-Dinner at White House.

nble Leewny - All Arrangements
Made For the Commission's De-
parture-Dinner at White House.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-The cabi-
net met in special session at o'clock
yesterday afternoon and adjourned at 4.
All Of the members were present except
Secretary Alger, who is not in the city.
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
missloners had been fully instructed.
or the nature Of these instructions they
conveyed not a word. Each one pointed
out that TO do so would be extremely
impolltic and would amount TO arm
ing the Spanish commissioners in adj
vance against themselves. The peace
commissioners who We're approached on
the subject made a similar response,
thus closing all official avenues of in
formation.
II was said that the commissioners
were fully instructed" and upon seek
Ing further explanation OF this phrase
II appeared that the cabinet had pa
tiently 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-
quainted with the views and wishes of
the administration. IL is not to be un-
derstood from this that the commits
sioners go under ironclad and un-
changeable instructions at all points
for there Is a certain amount of hexi-
f..f
the cabinet members put Il, the presi-
dent might just as well have reduced
his wishes to paper IN the form Of an
ultimatum and have sent that 10 Paris
by n messenger. The peace commis-
sioners are in no sense mere mouths
pieces, but. having chosen with the
greatest care and consideration five
men I'm whom he puts the most implicit
confidence the president feels that they
are TO be trusted with the interests Of
the United States. IL is not expected
that they viii have n free rein in the
larger question Of policy, but with am
pie opportunities for consultations by
cable and otherwise there is no reason
why the commissioners should not be
able TO carry out the desires OF the adj
ministratlon and at the same time have
the opportunity TO somewhat shape
those desires by conveying information
that may be obtained. For instance IL is
expected that at Paris the commission
ers will meet General Merritt, fresh
from Manila. and in addition they will
there have the benefit of a special re-
port from Admiral Dewey. These VIII
be OF the greatest value, for the com
missioners are not acquainted with the
Philippine question I'm detail and even
the information that Is to be acquEed
from the Spanish peace commissioners
is not to be despised when 1t takes such
an official form that It can be relied
upon az 20 accuracy.
All the arrangements have been COM
pltted for the departure OF the commits
sion and It's star. Most OF the party win
leave. Washington at 4 o'clock this aft
erroon for New York but, Il is said.
may be detained by some Of the COM
nissioners until the midnight train The
Campania sails at p, m. tomorrow, and
explicit instructions have been given
all the members OF the party as TO being
on hand at that time. Special baggage
tags have been printed for the belong
ings Of the members, and a small paper
paster showing red and blue bars cross
ed on a white background gives handy
way Of making a red, white and blue"
Identification Of the personal and gem
eral luggage of the party. A number =
stout cedar chests have been made to
carry the books, pamphlets. typewriter
papers, ete, forming a part OF the
American case. The chests are like a
shallow steamer trunk. so that they
may be showed under the bcrths and
thus be available on the passage over
instead OF going with the baggage n
the hold OF the steamer. This will per-
init considerable work on the trip, and
It Is expected that the commissioners
will hold meetings on shlpboard. TIE
party win go direct from Liverpool to
London and there stop for a days rest.
then proceeding TO Paris by way Of
Dover and Calais
Senator Frye called at the war de-
partment during the afternoon and had
talk with Acting Secretary Meikle-
john. While they were together Rep
resentative William Alden Smith OF
Michigan, who Is a member OF the house
committee on foreign affairs, Joined
them. In the course OF a good natured
exchange Mr., Smith urged Senator
Frye 20 hold on TO the Philippines as an
entirety as well as all other territory
of which we We're possessed as a result
OF the war Mr.. Frye automatically
avoided committing himself beyond re-
marking that this idea seemed 10 he
growing. As Mr.. Frye came from the
department he was asked ne favored
O retention OF the Philippines, To which
he replied, Il never have given my
views on that TO any human being"