The record-union., 1898-09-07
To Act With the Body to Straighten Out
the Espano-American Treaty,
Who the Other American Commis-
sioner Will Be Not Yet An
nounced-The Philippine ISL
ands Promise to BE the Bone
of Contention Which the Mem
bers Will Have to Deal With.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6. - Secretary
Day will probably not resume the dis
charge of the functions of Secretary of
| State, and it may be assumed that his
connection with the Department, save
in the capacity of Peace Commissioner,
terminated when he left Washington
for Ohio recently. Upon his return to
Washington it is expected that he will
come to the State Department for the
purpose of bidding farewell to the en-
ployes.
There is no longer a reasonable doubt
that Justice White has decided to de-
cline the appointment of Peace Com
missioner, and that he refrains from
making public announcement of his
purpose at the request of the Presi-
dent. 1t is intimated that very early
announcement may be looked for, as
| there is reason to believe that the Pres
ident already has made a tender OF
the Commissionership, and is now
awaiting an acceptance before making
public the fact
Arrangements for the departure OF
the commission on the 18th inst. from
New York are being pushed. Acting
Secretary Moore, with the assistance
of Mr.. Macarthur, is giving a great deal
of time to the collection of documents
and charts needed by the American
Commissioners in their work, and the
subjects likely to arise in connection
with the final peace negotiations are
receiving the closest study at the
hands of these gentlemen. Especially
is this true of the Philippines, which
promises to be the bone of contention
before the commission, and consequent
ly Acting Secretary Moore is devoting
the best share of his attention to that
phase of the subject.
To establish a clear understanding
OF the scope of the commissions pow
ers, it is stated upon authority that
this body is not in any sense judicial,
but purely diplomatic. The procedure
Will not be of character where numer-
ical voting str%ngth will determine any
proposition, but the Commissioners on
each side are expected to act as sepa-
rate units. Should differences arise,
they must be settled by the ordinary
course of diplomatic negotiation.
MANILA, Sept. 6.-At a meeting yes
terday of twenty leaders of the Fill
pinOs of all sections, called to discuss
the policy of these islands. eighteen of
them were emphatically in favor of out
right annexation to the United States,
and two were in favor of a republic.
The general native opinion is that it is
best to adopt United States Consul
Wildman's suggestion and offer liberal
inducements to the independence fac
tions to cooperate, and to reward the
services rendered.
The United States cruisers Olympia
and Raleigh returned here from Hong
kong to-day.
GRAY MAY BE THE MAN.
WASHINGTON, Sept. ct may be
said positively now that Justice White
of the United States Supreme Court
has positively declined the tender of "a
membership in the Spanish American
Peace Commission. The President has
been aware for several days of the
decision of Justice White, but for
various reasons did not make it pub
lie. AS matter of fact, no official
announcement was ever made of his
selection as a member, although it
was semi-officially understood that the
tender of the place on the commission
had been made to him.
In the same way it is now understood
that the vacant place on the commits
sion has been offered to Senator George
Democratic members Of the Senate
and a member of the minority on the
Foreign Relations Committee. Senator
Gray had a long conference with the
President to-day.