Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-14
NOTHING TO BE MADE KNOWN AS TO
PEACE INSTRUCTIONS.
AS TO PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
NO POLICY HAS BEEN FINALLY DE-
CIDED UPON AS YET.
President Originally Favored Hold
ing Only Coaiing station, but
His Views May Have Changed
Two Elements i'm the
Cabinet.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13.-After session
lasting nearly two and a half hours, the
cabinet took a recess until $50 o'clock this
afternoon. The situation at Manila was
discussed at some length. but the principal
business OF the meeting was the discussion
p of the letter of Instructions TO be given to
the commission which will meet in Paris
TO formulate treaty of peace with Spain.
Several OF the members of the cabinet who
were taking their vacations were recalled
by the president to attend to-day's meeting.
The letter of instructions will not be made
public, but IL is understood that II is COM
prehensive in character, and, in addition
10 making plain the general policy OF the
government on all important points, II coV-
ers all the details that can now be fore
seen and provided for. II is assumed. how
ever. that many questions are likely to
arise during the deliberations OF the joint
commission, upon which the American
members will require specific cable instruc-
lions from the president Secretary Day
has not yet sent his resignation TO the pres
ident. but no doubt he will do so in day
or two.
The cabinet at its second session con-
tinued the discussion OF the instructions 10
be given 10 the American members OF the
peace commission. Although the document
is practically agreed upon as whole, the
matter will be left open until the meeting
here of the members Of the commission,
two days hence, when final revision VIII
be made. 1t is the presidents wish. as ex-
pressed TO the cabinet members, that Moth
ing concerning the instructions be made
public Indeed so thoroughly did this un-
derstanding obtain among the members of
. the cabinet that Secretary Day authorized
the statement that, so far from making
public anything Of the nature of the in
struct.ons to be. given the peace commits
sioners, the president and the cabinet had
decided positively to do all in their power
TO prevent any publicity in the matter.
Secretary Long reached Washington to-
day. having run down from his New Eng
land summer home TO meet the presidents
wish that there should be a full attendance
at the cabinet meeting. 1t is the secretarys
expectation, unless something unforeseen
occurs, to return almost Immediately to his
family. The purpose of the president in
calling for a fun attendance at the cabinet
meeting was TO submit TO the members the
instructions which will be given TO the
An erican peace commissioners. The time
Is very limited in which to charge the COM
missioners, for. as the members will sail
from New York on Saturday on the cam
pania, they must leave Washington Friday.
SO that only two days are available to close
up their business in Washington.
1t Is believed that the president has not
nnally and definitely concluded upon a line
OF poncy respecting the Philippines wileth-
er they shall be retained or relfnuuished
He was strongly disposed at the time of
the signature OF the protocol TO acquire
nothing more than coaling station. or
perhaps a naval station at most in the
philippines. From the many inquiries he
has made Of public men, and from the no.
tee he has taken of the attitude assumed
toward this question by the press of the
country. II Is inferred that he is still open
to conviction as 10 the best line of policy
to be pursued. and il is probable that his
IN I.r,
meeting to-day was to gather from the
members their personal opinions. which
are supposed TO be freshly, acquired from
contact with the people where they have
been, az in the case OF Secretary Long and
others, paying visits to their native states.
One element in the cabinet Is disposed
to postpone the final decision on the future
of the Philippines. arguing that the mat
ter might be safely left 10 the discretion
of the peace commissioners, and pointing
out that important developments changing
the whole aspect of the question, could
fairly be expected before the joint commits
sion had taken up the subject for consid-
Grafton.
The officials at the navy and army de-
partments profess to feel more confidence
than they have heretofore experienced re-
Earding the present situation in the Philip
pine islands. In spite of all the disquieting
reports that have come of late from news
paper sources indicating the existence of
critically strained relations between the in
surgents and the American forces of occu-
patton. il is a fact that for three days
past no word came to either state, navy or
war department from Manila until to-day
That was a message from Admiral Dewey
asking authority from the departmental Of
ficers TO purchase some fresh beef which
would afford him supply for three months.
The admiral made no mention of any dis
turbance. One reason for the confidence
felt by the war department officials in a
peaceabie solution of the difficulties is their
knowledge of the peculiar fitness of Gener-
al Otis. the American military commander
for the discharge of just such duties, Dip
lomatic as well as military, as now con-
front him.
Not much importance is attached here 20
the Spanish report OF the destruction by
Spanish RunbOats of the insurgent fleet
which attempted to make landing on the
Nisayas islands.
Now that the military authorities here.
after careful consideration of the uues-
ton, have concluded that II Is incumben:
upon the United States TO compel the in