The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-04
Adjournment Asked by the Spanish
Commissioners to Enable Them to
Consult with Their Government.
GEN. MERRITT NOW IN PARIS
MADRID REPORTED TO BE ALMOST
IN STATE OF SUBTRACTION
Over a RumOr that Uncle Sam Has De-
GrOup-Such Action to BE Resisted.

PARIS, Oct. 3-Major General Merritt
who commanded the American troops at
Manila, arrived here to-day from Mar
seilles. He went to the Grand Hotel De
PAnthanee and declined to be interviewed
as he was suffering from fatigue. The gen.
eral did not see the United States peace
commissioners before the opening of the
joint session to-day.
The American commissioners held ses-
sion this morning at their own office, pre-
paratory to the second meeting with the
Spanish commissioners, which began at the
commissions rooms in the Foreign Office
Immediately after their assembling there at
2 o'clock this afternoon. The joint session
lasted until o'clock, at which hour the
commissioners adjourned to meet at 2
o'clock next Friday afternoon. such inter-
val being desirable and necessary to allow
separate consideration by each commission
of matters requiring such course before the
joint commission. The interval will be thus
filed with work by each commission, the
ultimate results being so facilitated The
secretary of the Spanish commission will
arrive tonight and the interval will be also
employed by the secretaries jointly in ma
turing plans for the work and procedure.
While the American commissioners were
at their hotel, but he did not wait to see
them He will call again tomorrow morn
ing to meet the members of the commits
sion.
The Spanish and American commissioners
will be received tomorrow by President
Faure. The hour fixed for the reception of
the Americans is 4:45 o'clock in the after
noon. General Merritt will accompany the
Americans to this function, which will be
held at the Palais d. Elysee.
The opinion is now held that the work of
the commissions may be finished within a
month from the present time.
While it is the general impression that
to-day's meeting was again devoted to pre-
liminaries and that the adjournment to Fri
day was taken to enable the secretaries to
draw up a schedule of work, the represent
ative of the Associated Press learns that
the session was highly important and that
the Americans have made a demand OF
such a character that the Spaniards found
it necessary to ask for an adjournment in
order to enable them to consult with the
government at Madrid. 1t is believed that
the question concerns the Philippines and
it is known that the Americans are highly
pleased at having so soon reached what
they consider very important phase of the
negotiations and consider the two sessions
thus far held as very satisfactory to Amer
ica The fact that a member of the COM
mission expressed the belief that the work
would be completed within month indi-
Gates happy frame of mind.
In the Spanish camp great hopes are built
on what they believe General Merritt will
advise namely that the Philippines are in
capable of self-government and that the
whole situation does not warrant America
in taking the responsibility for the entire
Philippines. The Spanards are quite ready
to give whatever America asks in the way
Of coaling stations. but will resist more. TO
the verge Of hostilitieS.