The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-15
WORK OF PEACE COMMISSION
PRESIDENT BELIEVES THE PHILIP-
 PINES MOST SERIOUS PR0BLEM.

II Administration Has Given 1t a Great
 Deal of Careful Attention-several
 Suggestions Made as to What Shall be
 DOme-Permanent Retention of the
 Bay, Harbor and City of NIanila--Cuba
 and Porto Rico.
 Washington, Aug. 14.-The president believes that the most serious problem which the peace commission will be called upon to deal with is the Philip bles it is hoped that the affairs of Cuba and Porto Rico will be found in such process of adjustment as to leave little for the commission to consider under that head. The absolute relinquish- ment by Spain of all sovereignty over Spanish islands in the West Indies will allow only the property questions to be
 
 is, what Spain shall take away and what shall remain as captures of war, and the protection of Spanish subjects and their property in the islands. The greater questions growing out of the war as relating to Cuba and Porto Rico will have to be dealt with by the United States alone. The fact that the Philip pines will present the difficult problem in the peace negotiations has caused the administration to give it a great deal of careful attention
 Several suggestions have been made as to what shall be done, one being the retention of the bay, harbor and city of Manila-just what the protocol gives temporarily. Another is that Subig bay and sufficient amount of territory for a naval and coaling station be secured and the building up of an American city at that place begun. Still another idea which is being considered is the reten- tion of the Island of Luzon, the advo- cates of that plan believing that there would be trouble between the govern ments which occupied a portion of the island with line of demarcation such as would exist in case Manila and the bay only were retained
 The Island of Luzon is the largest of the group and contains about 3,000,O0O people, which are said to be the better class in the Philippines. It is believed, however, that the administration and the commission will be greatly infuenc- ed by the reports which Admiral Dew ey and General Merritt will make on the subject. Their reports are expected before the commission meets. The final determination as to the government of government of Cuba are problems for settlement, but the impression prevails that these islands will become quite rapidly Americanized, and every en- couragement for them to do so will be given. Porto Rico will be under mili- tary control for the present. Cuba also will be similarly governed, but it is probable that American reforms in the matter of government will be such that the people of Cuba will see the advan- tage of becoming annexed to the Unit ed States. It is thought that the sani- tary improvement of Havana and oth- CT cities, the management of the mu- nicipalities and the liberty offered the country people will soon convince the inhabitants that the changed conditions are for their good.
 Porto Rico will be treated at once as an American possession The first movement in this direction will be the sending of a delegation of officials from the postoffice department to investigate and report upon the mail facilities there and to make such recommendation as they determine upon. Mail routes, methods of transportation and the con- dition of postotfices generally in the is- and will be examined. Military postof- fees will be established at once wher- ever troops are stationed, and at such other points as may be demanded by the interests of Americans and the peo- pie of the islands, if the. present offices are not available. A similar course will be that in Cuba, but this is likely to be delayed, as immediate removal of the Spanish and occupation by the United States is not expected.