Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-09-16

WASHINGTON, Sept. l6.-The cabinet
met in special session yesterday after
noon 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 re-
suit of the deliberations than that the
peace commissioners had been fully in
structed. OF the nature OF these in
structions they conveyed not word.
Each one pointed out that to do SO
would be extremely impolitic and would
amount to arnI1ng the Spanish commits
sioners in advance against themselves.
The peace commissioners, who were
approached on the subject, made a SIM
liar response, thus closing all official
avenues OF information.
1t was said that the commissioners
were fully instructed, and upon seek
ing q further explanation of this phase
it 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 commits
sion. On each of these the American
commissioners were made acquainted
with the views and wishes of the adj
ministration.
1t is not TO be understood from this
that the commissioners go under IRON
clad and Interchangeable instructions at
all points, Tor there is a certain amount
of flexibility III the instructions also, as
one of the cabinet members put it, the
president might just as well have re-
duced his wishes to paper in the form
of an ultimatum and have sent that to
Paris by messenger.
The peace commissioners are in no
sense mere mouthpieces, but, having
chosen with the greatest care and con-
sideration five men in whom he puts
the most implicit confidence, the presi-
dent feels that they are to be trusted
with the interests of the United States
1t is not expected that they will have a
free rein in the larger questions of pol
icy, but, with ample opportunities for
consultations by cable and otherwise,
there is no reason why the commission
ers should not be able to carry out the
desires of the administration, and at the
same time have the opportunity to some
what shape those desires by conveying
information they may acquire.
For instance, 1t Is expected that at
Paris the commissioners will meet Cen
eral Merritt fresh from Manila, and in
addition they will there have the benefit
of a special report from Admiral Dewey,
These will De OF the greatest value for
the commissioners are not acquainted
with the Philippine question in detail,
and even the information that is to be
acquired from the Spanish peace com.
missioners is not to be despised, when
it takes such an official form that it can
be relied upon as to accuracy.
All the arrangements have been COM
pleted for the departure of the commits.
sion and its staff Most of the party
will leave Washington at o'clock this
afternoon for New York, but circum-
stances may detain some of the commits
sioners until the midnight train. The
Campania sails tomorrow afternoon.
Senator Frye called at the war de-
partment yesterday afternoon and had
a talk with Acting Secretary Meikle-
john. While they were together Rep
resentative William Alden Smith of
Michigan, who is member of the
house committee on foreign affairs,
joined them. In the course of a good
natured exchange, Mr.. Smith urged
Senator Frye to hold on to the Philip
pines as an entirety as well as all other
territory of which we were possessed
as result OF the war. Mr. Frye dip
lomatically avoided committing him
self, beyond remarking that this idea
seemed to be growing. AS Mr.. Frye
came from the department he was
asked if he favored the retention of the
Philippines, to which he replied:
II never have given my views on
that to any human being"