The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-26
Three Members of the Commission
Meet at Washington.
OTHER TWO SELECTED
ONE DEMOCRAT Is TO BE AP-
POINTED.
Commissioners to Sail Between Sep
tember 9th and 2Oth-Not Settled
Whether the Negotiations Will Be
In the English or French Lam
guage-The Policy Discussed.

Washington, Aug. 25.-The first meet
! ing of a majority of the American
peace commissioners took place today
at the state department, where at 2
o'clock Secretary Day was Joined by
Senators Davis and Frye. Prior to this
the senatorial members of the commits
sion had a conference of two hours
with the president. Secretary Day was
not present at the White House meet
ing. The senators remained closeted
with Secretary Day for an hour and a
quarter.
Assistant Secretary Moore, who is
likely to accompany the commission TO
Paris, in an advisory capacity, was
present part of the time. Mr.. Mac
Arthur. first secretary of the American
legation at Madrid under General
Woodford was also called in.
AS a result of the meeting it can be
stated with positiveneSS that MeSSrs.
Day, Davis and Frye are members of
the peace commission. 1t is under
stood that the remaining two MEM
bers have been selected and Will be
announced by Saturday.
At the meeting today the general
plans of the commission as to proceed
ing to Paris were talked over and I'M
Outstanding reached that the start be
made between Sept. Is and 20. The
exact day was left open in order to
permit further conference with all the
members of the commission No def
mite ARRANGEMENTS have been made
thus far as to securing quarters in
Paris, but this will be left to Ambassa-
dor Porter, the plans of meetings to
be arranged between Mr.. Porter, the
Spanish ambassador at Paris, and the
French officials.
The sessions will be held in the salon
Des Ambassadors. through the cour-
tesy of the French government.
Aside from these formalities the COM
missioners went into some of the more
SERIOUS questions of policy which will
come before them Much of the pre-
liminary work has been done by the
state department officials, such as the
collection of the documents, treaties,
books and maps, which will be used by
the commissioners abroad
The commissioners expect to be oc-
cupied for several days in a discussion
of more important matters to come be-
fore the tribunal and in the prepara-
ton of the American side of the case.
The question whether the negotia-
lions with the Spanish commissioners
would be in the English or French
language will not be determined prior
TO the arrival of the commissioners in
Paris. 1t is a matter that must be
settler Dy all the COMMISSIONERS anu
will not be determined arbitrarily by
the American commissioners in ad-
vance of the meeting.
Owing to reports current today that
only three American commissioners
would be appointed it was stated au-
thoritatively this afternoon that the
commission would consist of five mem
bers and that one of the commission
erS would be a Democrat.
III - h., TOD.
rotary Day went from the state de-
partment to the White House, where
he held an extended talk with the pres
ident, presumably upon the final make
ND of the commission. The meeting of
the three commissioners today will be
the only one of concerted character
until Sept. 10. when the five commits
sioners will come to Washington for a
final conference before sailing for
Paris.