Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-26
DISCUSS OUR POLICY
United States Peace Commissioners Confer
with the President.
BOARD WILL FINALLY CONSIST OF FIVE
Davis Day and Frye and Two More to Be
Named Saturday.
START FOR PARIS ABOUT SEPTEMBER 20
1t is Decided that One Democrat Will Be Ap-
pointed Member.
START FOR PARIS ABOUT SEPTEMBER 20
MAP OUT GENERAL LINE OF NEGOTIATIONS
There Will he a General Final Cone
ference of Full Board the Middle
of September Before sailing
for the French Capital.

WASHINGTON. Aug. Ex-senator Davis
Of Minnesota and Senator Frye Of Maine,
who have been selected for peace commits
sioners, arrived at the White House a little
before 10 o'clock this morning and i'm
mediately began conference with the presi-
dent over the coming labors OF the commis-
sion at Paris
The conference OF prospective peace COM
missioners Davis and Frye with the presi-
dent lasted two hours and a half and then
the two senators called on Secretary Day,
who will be the chairman OF the commits
sion. Ret!cence was observed respecting
the conference. which went fully into details
Of the American position at the meeting of
the peace commission.
The first meeting of majority Of the
American peace commissions took place to-
day at the State department when at
O'Clock Secretary Day was Joined by Sena-
tors Davis and Frye. Prior to this the sem
atorial membership of the commission had a
conference OF two hours with the president.
Secretary Day was not present AT tie White
House meeting, so that after getting the
views OF the president, the senator's went TO
the State department and for an hour and .
quarter remained cioseted with Secretary
Day. Assistant Secretary Moore. who ia
likely to accompany the commission 10
al 10 III duNlsOTy capacity, was preSent
part OF the time. Mr.. Macarthur, first Sec
retary Of the American legation at Madrid,
under General Woodford, was also called in.
Make Up of Commission.
AS result Of the meeting 1t can be stated
with positiveness that Messrs. Day Davis
and Frye are members OF the peace COM
mission. 1t is understood that the re-
naming two members have been selected
and will be announced by Saturday. At the
meeting today the general plans of the
commission as to proceeding to Paris were
talked over. and an understanding reached
that the start be made between September
10 and 20. The exact day was left, open in
order to permit further conference with all
the members Of the commission. 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.. Por-
ter, the Spanish ambassador at Paris and
the French officials. The sessions will be
| held in TIE Salon des Ambassadors, through
the courtesy of the French government
Aside from these formalities, the commis-
s.oners went into some of the more seri-
Gus questions of policy which will come be-
fore them. Much of the preliminary work
has been done by the State department off,
ments, treaties, books and maps. which will
be used by the commissioners abroad The
commissioners expect to be occupied for sew
eral days in a discussion of the more i'm
portant matters 20 come before the tribunal
and in the preparation of the American side
of the case.
The question whether the negotiations
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. II 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.
VIII BE One Democrat,
Owing to reports that were current today
that only three American commissioners
would be appointed IT was stated authorita-
lively this afternoon that the commission
would consist of five members aud that one
OF the commissioners would be a democrat
AT the close OF ONCE hours today Secretary
Day went from the State department to the
White House, where he held an extended
talk with the president, presumably upon
the final makeup Of the commission The
meeting Of the three commissioners today
will be the only one of a concerted charac-
ter until September 10, when the five com.
missioners Will come to Washington for a
final conference before sailing for Paris. In
the meantime the two commissioners not VET
named may come TO Washington II il han
pens TO be convenient, although there is felt
10 be no necessity for a conference until
September Is.