The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-13

Washington, D. c., Nov. 12.-The
cabinet held a session tonight, at which
instructions, understood to be of pos
itive character, bearing on the Philip
pine question, were drafted for dis
patch to the American commissioners
in Paris. These instructions were the
outcome of the conferences held earlier
in the day, and instruct the American
representatives to admit of no further
discussion as to the right to consider
the disposition of the islands, and state
that on that point the instructions al
ready sent must stand, the only mat
ters for discussion from the American
view being the manner of giving over
the islands. There We're only four MEM
bers of the cabinet present, Secretaries
Hay, Alger and Wilson and Postmaster
General Charles Emory Smith.
The special cabinet meeting called
by the president this morning lasted
until I O'Clock. 1t was devoted almost
entirely to a discussion Of a cable
gram received from the peace commits
SionerS at Paris and the report of the
evacuation committee at Puerto Rico
which was personally presented by Ad-
miral Schley.
The members of the cabinet stated
most positively that nothing of a dis
turbing character had developed at
Paris or had been under consideration.
The text of a cablegram to be sent to
the peace commission at Paris, in re-
SponSe to one from Judge Day was
framed It involved no new or immedi-
ate crisis. The Spanish commissioners
had asked until q day next week in
which to make answer to the PROPOSE
tion submitted by the Americans. Al
though the administration is becoming
somewhat impatient of the delays to
the work Of the commissioners, occa-
stoned by the procrastination of the
Spaniards, the delay in this instance
VIII not be objected to, although it may
meet with an intimation that the dis
cussion has reached a point where def
mite results are expected without fur
Their unnecessary loss of time.
SPANIARDS WILL YIELD.
It is believed that at the next meet
ing of the joint commission the Span
iards viii yield one important step,
namely. They viii at least tacitly, by
beginning the argument of the ques-
ton, recede from their refusal to allow
the question of the sovereignty of
Spain over the Philippines to be ques-
toned If this surnlise is we'll founded,
then the two commissions viii be
brought face to face with the adjust
the transfer of the Philippines TO the
United States sufficiently complex to
warrant the expectation that several
more sessions of the joint commission
will be required for its adjustment.
The attitude Of the insurgents in the
Philippines has given the administra-
ton considerable uneasiness, for it is
feared that if the insurgents are al
lowed to continue their hostile activity
there may be protests which we shall
be compelled to regard. The difficulty
ii the situation is that the insurgents
are operating at points outside the is
land of Luzon, where the United States
has never been in actual possession,
and where it would be difficult to place
troops to maintain the status quo.
Nevertheless, it is believed to be incum-
bent upon our government to do some-
thing in this direction, and the military
and naval authorities at Manila win be
so advised.