Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-12
First Will Come Suspension of Hos
tilities.
SELECTION OF PEACE COMMISSIONERS
Judge Day VIII Be the Leading
Member.
MANY NAMES SUGGESTED

The signing of the protocol will be fol-
lowed without delay by a suspension of
hostilities, and then will be announced the
| peace commissioners. There is still great
latitude for speculation as to the character
of this commission, its powers and Its in
structions. 1t is assumed that the two gov
ernments will have equal representation on
thescomnission, and the question naturally
arises as to how disagreement can be
settled with the commission divided equally.
1t is suggested that Spain entertains the
hope that protra cted isagreement may
be contrived so to lead to reference to
third party, and that it is with this in
view that she has argued so strongly
through the French ambassador in favor
of having the commission meet at Paris
1t is not the intention of this government
however, to permit the calling in of any
third party nor to take any step which
| would assume the character of an arbitra-
| ton. While Spain will have equal repre-
sentation on the commission, the power of
acting will lie with the American commits
| sioners who. representing the victorious
country, will dictate the terms and event.
ually the Spanish commissioners will have
to accept what the commissioners on the
part of the United States offer or else
abahdon their suit for peace. A great many
minor details will be disposed of readily,
and when they come down to the vital
questions, the United States commissioners
Will listen TO the propositions, and the
reasons for them, advanced on the part of
spain and will have the final determination
as far as the commissioners are concerned
OF what we will accept or concede.
Secretary Day Selected.
Many names have been suggested to the
President and the State Department for
appointment on the commission but the
greatest reserve Is maintained by the
President and Secretary of State in the
matter. The only thing that can be ac-
cepted as reasonably certain is that Sec
rotary Day. retiring from the State De-
partment, will be at the head Of the COM
mission There is very good authority for
the suggestion of the names of Senators
Allison of Iowa and German of Maryland
but their selection cannot be announced az
agreed upon. Some very strong fntima-
tons have been put out that considerable
feeling will be aroused if, selections being
made from the Senate, the President goes
outside of the committee foreign rela-
items for senatorial Representatives on the
commits sion. The significance that will be
attached to the selection of Senators for
lie COHlHISSlOH outside OF the foreign re-
lations committee will probably be that
the Presidents contemplated policy will not
be entirely in accord with what is known
to be the sentiment of that committee.
Foreign Relations Committee.
The majority Of the Senate foreign rela-
tons committee have been radical on the
Cuban question from the first, and early in
the controversy over Cuba they were far
in advance of the attitude assumed by the
administration. Expressions attributed to
leading members of the majority of the
committee since the question of peace has
been thought OF indicate a strong and very
general disposition in favor Of wide terri
torial expansion and the development of
radical policy in relation with the develop
ment of our commercial interests In the
Pacific. This committee will ultimately
have to pass on the treaty of peace, but
the Senate itself will stand above the COM
nlittee, and failure the part of the
President TO select any that COM
mttee to serve on the commission, If any
Senator is selected, will probably be con-
strued to mean that the President designs
to carry out a more conservative policy in
the negotiation of peace than is believed to
be favor ed by the majority Of the foreign
relations committee.
Military Commission.
Many details remain TO DE agreed upon
which are not even referred to in the pro-
tocol. Such of these relate to purely
military and naval subjects will be referred
to a military commission.
This commission may encounter some
difficulty in making a disposition OF the
Spanish soldiers, not only those still at
large under Blanco in Cuba and under the
captain general of Porto Rico, but the
military and naval prisoners now in the
United States. The Spanish government is
showing a remarkable unwillingness to pro-
vide for the return OF these soldiers and
sailors to Spain. Indeed this has gone so
tar as to lay the Spanish government open to
the charge of indifference as to the fate of
the men Who struggled 80 bravely for the
Spanish cause. European advices received
here from private sources throw some light
upon this peculiar attitude of the Spanish
government. 1t is apprehensive that the re-
turning warriors win join the Carlists and
break out in open rebellion against the
present dynasty. 1t is probable however.
that the military commission will be cloth
ed with adequate power to deal with this
question in the interest of the United
States.
,Dnnna~~