The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-15
PEACE COMMISSION
IN CONFERENCE
THE MEMBERS MEET AT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT.
They Exchange Views for the First
Time-Result of Their Delibera-
tions Unknown-It Is Thought
That Luzon Will Be Retained at
Least.

Washington, Sept. 14.-Three MEM
bers of the peace commission, Secre-
tary Day, Senator Davis and White
law Reid, were in conference for two
hours at the state department today.
Senator Frye, 1t was stated. would
arrive tomorrow morning and join in
the conference of the commissioners.
The plans OF Senator Gray. the sixth
member, are not exactly known, al
though he, too, is expected to join his
associates in their conferences tomor-
row. The president will give a din
ner at the White house tomorrow
night, at which the commissioners will
re the principal guests, all the MEM
bers of the cabinet in the city also
being present 1t is stated positively
that the dinner will be purely of a So
cial character, and that the reports
that it will serve the purpose of a
full and final discussion of the Philip
pine question are unwarranted. The
commissioners will leave here Friday
in order to take the Campania on Sat
urday.
The meeting at Secretary Days office
today was for the purpose of going
over the whole question of the peace
settlement. IT is the first time Mr..
Reid had exchanged views with his
colleagues on the subject. The same
rigid reticence which has thus far pre-
vailed continues to be observed. and
IS the commissioners came from their
two hours meeting they positively de-
clinod to discuss any questions relat-
ing to the commission. Leading MEM
bers of the commission stated positive
~ that all reports relative to the in
struction of the commissioners, or the
attitude of the United States, were
purely conjectural. 1t is pointed out
that the interests of this country might
he seriously prejudiced if its attitude
was made known in advance of the
meeting at Paris, so that the COM
rissioners have agreed among them
selves TO authorize no statement of
their views as body or as indiVidu-
ais.
In official circles much satisfaction
was expressed today over the reports
from Madrid that the lower house of
parliament had passed the government
hill accepting the terms of the pro-
tocol The upper house already has
passed this measure, so that the last
fear of legislative opposition to the
transfer of Cuba, the Ladrones and
Porto Rico is past. The authorities
here feel that this carries them by a
danger point, as it has been feared
for some time that the animosities in
the Spanish cortes would lead to the
defeat of the Sagasta ministry, on the
question of evacuating Spanish islands,
either in one branch or the other
GENERAL LINE OF POLICY.
There is little doubt that a general
line OF policy was agreed upon between
the president and the cabinet at their
meeting late yesterday afternoon, but
there is good reason for believing tha
the assertion that the decision was de.
fnitely in favor of not permitting
Spain under any conditions to retain
sovereignty in any part of the Philip.
pine islands is based on a misconcep.
ton. AS the members of the cabinet
and members of the peace commission
refuse absolutely to discuss the subject
with newspaper men, therefore what
ever is said is based more or less or
inference or roundabout information
1t is not doubted that the commission
will start the negotiations at Pari.
with the assertion that we have con,
that Spanish sovereignty has already
been forfeited there. This will not
however, necessarily signify that it /:
the purpose of the administration I,
retain possession of the entire grouI
of islands or to permanently depriv,
Spain of all her possessions in the Pa
cific. 1t is not believed that the ad
ministration has gone beyond the deter
N nf
island of Luzon, but it is understood
TO be the intention of the president I,
establish at the outset the right Of thi
government to determine the fate o
the islands and to make the condition
under which government shall be es
tablished there. The matter of relin
gushing possession of the rest of tn
islands is involved with so many con
ditions to be considered that it is real
ized that 1t may by foRce of circum
stances be necessary to deprive Spail
permanently OF all perpossessions Il
that quarter. 1t is understood not I
he a matter of policy to acquire a.
this territory, butt may becomea a neces
sity. The commercial and trade sid
OF the question, as involving the de
velopement and expansion of our com
merce in the Pacific, is occupying chic
attention in connection with determin
ing our policy.
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