Griggs courier., 1898-09-22

OAlcial Statement.
Washington. Sept. 16.-The policy of
the United States regarding the Phil
ippines is made up. The president had
q conference with four of the peace
commissioners yesterday. There were
present Commissioners Day, Davis,
Frye and Reid, and for two hours they
were closeted with the president in the
cabinet room. The whole situation was
carefully gone over and the president
impressed upon them his policy regard
ing the Philippines.
Instructions Are Explicit.
There is authority for the statement
that the instructions are positive and
explicit. Every question relating to
Cuba's future which is to come under
the purview of the peace commission
is dealt with in plain terms. Every
question of Importance touching the
disposition of the Philippines is set
forth at length. No proposition is sus-
ceptible of ambiguity. The president
has outlined the policy of this nation
in terms of plain English. There will
be no consideration of counter prop
ositions. The Spaniards must accept
or refuse our demands as they stand.
Details Held Secret.
The foregoing statement represents
the extent to which the public is to
be apprised of the situation at this
time. The details of the instructions
are held secret for cogent reasons of
state, which will appear later. No
member of the cabinet or the commits
sion is to discuss the subject before
the commission meets in Paris. -
Trend of Events In the East.
Two elements of the present situa-
ton, when considered together. point
Enthusiastically to the trend of events
in the far east. The authoritative
statement that the case is made up and
the attitude of this government decid-
ed upon. taken in connection with the
dispatch of three battleships to the
Pacific, indicate that the administra-
tion has decided upon a radical course
and is preparing to support its posi-
tion with force il necessary.
Flag Will Not Retreat.
No well-informed official in Washing
ton who has kept in touch with the
progress of events and has thought
fully considered their significance from
time to time entertains doubt that
the United States is prepared to main
tain the flag where it has been plant
ed on the island of Luzon. What other
portions of the Philippine archipelago
are to be enveloped in the folds of the
emblem Of liberty will be determined
hereafter.
Word from Manila.
While they were in session a cable
message from Gen. Otis at Manila was
received, which cleared up all doubts
regarding the attitude of the insur-
gent leader, Aguinaldo. toward the
United States forces. This message
was in reply to one sent by the pres
ident to Gen Otis, and made it clear
that Aguinaldo is acting in good faith
and in perfect obedience to the Amer
lean commander in Manila. It was
the most satisfactory report that has
been received from Manila since the
American forces landed.
An Omcial Statement.
In the evening the president gave a
dinner to the commissioners and mem-
bers of the cabinet, and also Assistant
Secretaries Moore and Adee, of the
state department. It was purely So
cial, and not official for deliberation.
ho 1f @
retary Day handed the following Off
cial statement to the newspapers:
The members of the peace commission.
with the exception of Senator Gray. whose
absence was due to his inability to with.
draw as counsel in case in which he was
engaged some time before his appointment
as one of the peace commissioners. have
spent the greater part of Wednesday and
Thursday in free discussion of the duties
with the discharge Of which they have
been tntrusted by the president. Senator
Gray Is expected during the evening, and
before sailing will have full conference
with the president and his associates.
While for obvious reasons 1T was deter
mined that the nature Of the instructions
as TO the negotiations about to be entered
upon should for the present be kept secret
and made known only after definite results
shall have been reached. 1t is possible to
state authoritatively that the commission
goes to Paris fully prepared to follow a
course Of action mapped out for It as the re-
suit OF the consultations Of the last two
days.
/. No Modification OF Our Demands.
''At the very outset 1t will be made clear
to the Spanish commissioners that, as in
the case Of the preliminary protocol, there
can be no deviation from or modification Of
the demands made by the United States.
The decision arrived al by the presi-
dent after full consultation with the
members Of the commission subsequently
received the cordial and unanimous APP
proval Of the cabinet at meeting held
Thursday afternoon.
AS previously announced. the commits
sion sails from New York on the Campania
at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon"
Our Commissioners Sail.
New York, Sept. 1o.-The United
States commissioners to conclude the
terms Of peace with Spain sailed on
board the Cunard line steamer Cam
pania, en- route to Paris. The commits
sion consists of Former Secretary of
State William r. Day, United States
Senators William P. Frye. Cushman X.
Davis and George Gray and Whitelaw
Reid. Each commissioner is accom-
panied on the trip by his wife or other
members of the family.