The record-union., 1898-09-14
President Mckinley Confers With
Members Of the Cabinet
Relative to Instructions to Be Given TO the
American Representatives.
Believed That the President Has
Not Fully and Definitely Con-
cluded Upon Line of Policy
Regarding the Philippine ISL
ands, Whether They Shall Be
Retained or Re1inquished.

Regarding the Philippine ISL
ands, Whether They Shall Be
Retained or Relinquished.
WASHINGTON, Sept 13.-Secretary
Long reached Washington to-day, hay
ing come down from his New England
summer home to meet the President S
wish that there should be a full at
| tendance at the Cabinet meeting. 1t
is the Secretary's expectation, unless
| something unforeseen occurs, to return
Immediately to his family. The pur-
pose of the President in calling for a
full attendance at the Cabinet meeting
was to submit to the members instruc-
tiops which will be given to the Amer
lean Peace Commissioners. The time
| is very limited in which to properly
charge the Commissioners, for, as the
members will sail from New York Sat-
urday on the Campania, they must
leave Washington Friday, SO that only
| two days are available to close up their
business in Washington
1t is believed the President has not
fully and definitely concluded upon a
line of policy respecting the Philippines
whether they shall be retained or re-
linquished. He was strongly disposed
at the time of the signing of the proto-
col to acquire nothing more than a
coahng station, or perhaps naval sta
| ton at Manila, in the Philippines.
From the many inquiries he has made
| of public men, and from the notice he
| has taken of the attitude assumed
| toward this question by the press of
| the country, it is inferred that he is
still open to convictions as to the best
| line of policy to be pursued, and it is
probable that his principal purpose in
! calling the Cabinet meeting to-day was
| to gather from the members their opin-
| ions, which are supposed to be freshly
acquired from contact with the people
| where they have been, as in the case
| of Secretary Long and others paying
visits to their native States.
One element in the Cabinet is dis
posed to postpone the final decision on
| the future of the Philippines, arguing
that the matter. might safely be left to
| the discretion OF the Peace Commis-
| sioners, and pointing out that import
ant developments changing the whole
aspect of the question could fairly be
| expected before the joint commission
had taken up the subject for consider
alton.
There is a present disposition to re-
| frain from publishing instructions to
the Peace Commissioners, SO it is prob
| able that only the most general idea
/, will be permitted to leak out. This
course is regarded as absolutely essen
| tial, in order to prevent the Spanish
Commissioners from obtaining an ad
vantange in the negotiations.
The officials at the Navy and Army
Departments profess to feel more con-
| fidence than they have heretofore ex-
perienced regarding the present situa-
tion in the Philippines In spite of all
the disquieting reports that have come
| of late from newspaper sources, indi-
| eating the existence of critically
! strained relations between the insur-
gents and the American forces of occu-
patton, it is a fact that for three days
past no word came to either the State,
| Navy or War Departments from Ma
Mia until to-day. That was a mes
sage from Admiral Dewey asking au-
| thority from the department officers to
| purchase some fresh beef which would
afford him a supply for three months.
| The Admiral made no mention of any
| disturbance.
| One reason for the confidence felt by
the War Department officials in a
| peaceable solution of the difficulties is
their knowledge of the peculiar fitness
| of General Otis, the American mill
tary commandner. for the discharge OF
just such duties, diplomatic as we'll as
military, as now confront him.
Not Y711Iph irpnQrfanne &c od
here to the Spanish reports of the de-
struction by the Spanish gunboats of
the insurgent fleet which attempted to
make landing on vizcayas Island.
Now the military authorities here,
after a careful consideration of the
question, have concluded that it is in
cumbent upon them to compel the in
surgents to an observance of the sus-
pension of hostilities agreed upon be-
tween the United States and Spain-at
least in cases like that in the vicinity
of Manila, where, by the action of the
United States forces, naval and mill
tary, the residents had been deprived
of the protection of the Spanish naval
and military forces 1t is stated au-
thoritatively that General Otis has
been given plenary power to deal with
tIlS inateCi, oiSiiOuSH, DIS dlISduy
stated. it is hoped and expected that
he will be able to prevent an abso-
lutely hostile clash.
The Cabinet at its second session to-
day continued the discussion of the
instructions to be given to the Amer
| lean members of the Peace Commits
sion. Although the document is prac-
| tically agreed upon as a whole. the
matter will be left open until the meet
| ing here of the members of the COM
mission, two days hence. when a final
| revision will be made. 1t is the Pres
| ident's wish, as expressed to the Cab
met members, that nothing concerning
the instructions be made public. In
deed, so thoroughly did his understand
ing obtain among the members of the
Cabinet that Secretary Day authorized
the statement that, SO far from making
public anything in the nature of the in
structions to be given the Peace Com
missioners, the President and the Cab
met had decided positively to do all
in their power to prevent any publicity
| in the matter.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13.-To-day's
statement of the condition Of the
Treasury shows: Available cash bal