The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-26
DAVIS TALKS PEACE PLAN
MEETING OF A MAJORITY OF
THE COMMISSION
Secretary Day, Mr.. Frye, of Maine,
and the Senior Senator From Min
nesota Call on the President and
Talk Over the Terms to He Given
Spain-Case of America to Be
Carefully Prepared.


Carefully Prepared.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-The first
meeting of a majority Of the American
peace commissioners took place today
at the state department, when, at 2
o'clock. Secretary Day was joined by
Senators Davis and Frye. Prior to
this, the senatorial membership Of the
| commission had had conference of
two hours with the president Score
tary Day was not present at the White
house meeting, so that, after getting
| the views Of the president, the sena-
tors went to the state department and
for an hour and a quarter remained
closeted with Secretary Day.
| Assistant Secretary Moore, wF% is
likely to accompany the commission to
Paris in an advisory capacity, was
present part of the time. Mr.. Near
| thur, first secretary of the American
legation at Madrid, under Gen. Wood
| ford, was also called In.
AS a result of the meeting, it can
| be stated that Messrs. Day, Davis and
Frye are members of the peace COM
naming two members have been Sc
| lected and will be announced by Sat-
| urday.
At the meeting today the general
plans of the commission were talked
over, and the start for Paris will be
made between Sept. Is and 20. The
exact date was left open in order to
| permit further consultations with all
the members. No definite arrange
ments have been made so far as to
securing quarters in Paris. but this
| will be left to Ambassador Porter,
the plans of meeting to be arranged be-
| tween Mr.. Porter the Spanish ambaS-
sador at Paris, and the French of
| ficials. The sessions will be held in
| the Salon des Embassadeurs. through
| the courtesy of the French govern
| ment
| Aside from these formalities. the
| commissioners went into some Of the
more serious questions of policy which
will come before them. Much Of the
preliminary work has been done
by the state department officials,
such as the collection of the docu-
ments, treaties, books and maps, which
will be used by the commissioners
abroad.
The commissioners expect to be occu-
pied for several days in the discussion
of the more important matters to come
before the tribunal, and in the prepa-
ration Of the American side of the
question. The question whether the
negotiations with the Spanish COM
missioners will be in the English or
French language will not be deter
mined prior to the arrival Of the COM
missioners in Paris. It is a matter
that must be settled by all the COM
missioners and will not be determined
arbitrarily by the American commits
sioners in advance of the meeting.
Owing to reports current today that
only three American commissioners
would be appointed, it was stated au-
thoritatively this afternoon that the
commission would consist of five mem
bers, and that one of the commissioners
would be a Democrat.
At the close Of office hours today
Secretary Day went from the state
department to the White house, where
he held an extended talk with the
!! president. presumably on the final
makeup of the commission.
The conference Of the three commits
sioners today will be the only one Of
concerted character until Sept. Is, when
the five commissioners will come to
Washington for a final conference be-
fore sailing for Paris. In the mean
time two commissioners, not yet
named, may come to Washington, if it
happens to be convenient, though there
is felt to be no necessity for confer
ence until Sept. Is.