The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-16
The Return of the Five Commissioners.

The Return of the Five Commissioners.
Mr.. MoKINLEY's Peace Commissioners
will sail for home tomorrow. They are
due at Washington on Christmas Day,
bearing to the President and the nation the
valuable parchment written at Paris.
The American Commissioners come back
triumphant after a victory as notable in its
way as DEwEY's or SIMPSONS. They nave
not only got what they went for, but they
have also broken many of the cherished
traditions of conventional European di-
plomacy. Some OF the tools heretofore
regarded as Indispensable in the deal
ings of nations over important ques-
tions they have flung aside with manly
contempt as antiquated, useless, and un-
worthy Of employment by serious men who
know exactly what hey "a and are able
to express their intentions in language
both courteous and veracious. The whole
business Of international negotiation will
be affected considerably by the success Of
the direct American method. There will be
less intrigue and professional lying here
after on the co~nsciences Of amiable gentle
men who have been accustomed to carry
unblushingly into the pourparlers of deli
cate diplomacy the spirit and manGuvres
Of a low-down horse trade.
The credit for the remarkable diplomatic
achievement at Paris belongs to Mr.. NC
KINLEY and his Commissioners collectively.
So far as the public knows the five men,
bers Of the Commission nave worked as a
unit when face to face with their Spanish
antagonists. Yet they did not approach
their joint task with tho same ideas of duty
and expediency and 1t is proper now to re-
fer to individual differences.
Judge DAY went to Paris, as was believed
with good reason at the time, personally
opposed to the general policy Of expansion
in the Pacific. 1t was even feared that his
influence in the deliberations might be
against the future interests OF the United
States, with regard to the Philippines in
particular. The result shows that the Presi-
dent knew his friend and Cabinet officer bet
ter than did any Of the critics of the appoint
ment. Judge DAYS modest, fearless, re-
sourceful intellect has been devoted exclu-
sively and tlrelessly to the nations cause,
without thought Of self, or attempt to vlndi-
cate any personal opinion he may have en-
tertained previously. We shall be very much
surprisedif he does not come home as ardent
an expansionist as Senator DAVIS or Sena-
tor FRYE. To the distinguished services
which he rendered as Secretary of State be-
fore and during the war with Spain, the
Hon. WILLIAM r. DAY Of Canton has added
another frst-class claim to the nations
gratitude.
Mr.. MCKINLEY put upon the Commission
three members OF the senate Committee on
Foreign Relations, namely, CUsHMAN K.
DAVIS OF Minnesota, WILLIAM P. FRYE Of
Maine and GEORGE GRAY of Delaware.
About the Americanism, Of Senator DAVIS
and Senator FRYE there has never been
any more doubt than about the red, white
and blue OF the flag. Their views on the
subject Of the Philippines had been frankly
avowed beforehand and the performance
OF their respective parts in the duties at
Paris has been everything that the Presi-
dent and the people expected Of them. With
Judge JAY they have constituted the ma
jority Of the American Commission, and the
efficient and potent factor in its success.
Senator GRAY's case is a little different.
He was not regarded as friendly to the
policy contemplated by the Administration.
and has figured on the Commission as the
minority member, chosen because he is a
Democrat. Nevertheless, it must be said
for Senator GRAY that he has been wise and
patriotic enough to avoid even the appear
ance of being an obstructionlst
The selection Of tho Hon. WHrTELAw
REID as the fifth member of the Commits
sion was an afterthouGht. apparently to be
attributed rather to a good-natured willing
ness ON the Presidents part to crafty
MIR. REDS Unsuitable desire for nom
elective oflce than to any consider
ation OF special fitness or probable
1t is a somewhat curious
that tho only distinctive al
lusIon to Mr.. REID in the reports from
Paris during the progress of the negotia-
tions connected his ncme with a mercenary
scheme to sell the rights of the United
States in the Philippines to n foreign syndi-
cate 1t was not Judge DAY or Senator DA-
Wis or Senator FRYE, oreven Senator GRAY,
the anti-expansionlst, who was mentioned as
having been approached by the promoters
That ridiculous and abortive project,
Whether Mr.. WHITELAw REDS presence