Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-08-26
PEACE COMMISSION.
Authoritatively Stated There
Will Be Five Members.
AT LEAST ONE TO BE A DEMOCRAT.
Senators Davis and Frye Held Confer
With the President and Then One With
Secretary Day other Members May Be
Announced Tomorrow.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-Owing to re-
ports current yesterday that only three
American commissioners would be APP
pointed, it was stated authoritatively
yesterday afternoon that the commits
sion would consist of five members and
that one of the commissioners would be
Democrat.
The meeting of the three commission
ers yesterday will be the only one of a
concerted character until Sept. Is, when
the five commissioners will come to
Washington for final conference be-
fore sailing for Paris. In the mean
time, the two commissioners not yet
named may come to Washington if it
happens to be convenient, although
there is felt to be no necessity for con-
ference until Sept. 10.
The first meeting of majority of the
commissioners took place yesterday at
the state department., when Secretary
Day was joined by Senators Davis and
Frye. Prior to this the senatorial men,
bership of the commission had had a
conference of two hours with the presi-
dent Secretary Day was not present
at the White House meeting, SO that
after talking with the president, the
senators went to the state department.
and for an hour and quarter remained
closeted with Secretary Day. Assistant
Secretary Moore, who is likely to ac-
company the commission to Paris III an
advisory capacity was present part of
the time. Mr.. Macarthur, first secre-
tary 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 understood
that the remaining two members have
been selected and will be announced by
Saturday. At the meeting yesterday it
is believed the general plans of the COM
mission as to proceeding to Paris were
talked over, and an understanding
reached that the start be made between
Sept. l5 and 20. The exact day was left
open in order to permit further confer
ence with all the members of the COM
mission. No definite arrangements
have been made thus far as to securing
quarters in Paris, but this will be left
to Ambassador 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 Ambassa-
doris, through the courtesy of the
French government.
Aside from these formalities, it is
said, the commissioners went into some
of the more serious questions of policy
which will come before them. Much of
the preliminary 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 occn-
pied for several days in discussion of
the more important matters to come
before the tribunal and in the prepare
ton of the American side of the case
The question whether the negotia-
tions 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
settled by all the commissioners. and
will not be determined arbitrarily by
the American commissioners in advance
of the meeting.