Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-06
PEACE COMMISSION.
The Opinion Held That Its Work
Nay Be Finished in q Month. :
SPAIN S1UpETIED OVER 4 REPORT.
The Intentiou Of the Uaited states Govern
mont to Retain the Philippine Ialands
VIII he Vigorously Combatsd BY
the Spanish Government.

who commanded the American troops
at Manila, arrived here yesterday from
Msrseilles. He repaired to the Grand
Hotel de rAthenee and declined to be
interviewed, as he was suffering from
fatigue. The general did not see the
United States peace commissioners be-
fore the opening Of the joint session
yesterday. The American commits
sioners held a session yesterday morn.
ing at their own Offices, preparatory to
the second meeting with the Span
ish commissioners, which be-
gan at the commissioners room
in the foreign Office immedi-
ately after their assembling there at
two o'clock in the afternoon. The
plan Of work directed to be prepared
by the secretaries has not been per-
fected, as the secretary Of the Spanish
commission did not arrive here
until yesterday. Yesterdays session
lasted until four o'clock, at which
hour the commissioners adjourned to
meet at two o'clock next Friday after
noon, such interval being desirable
and necessary to allow separate con-
sideration by each commission of mat
tiers requiring such course before the
joint meeting The interval will be
thus filed with work by each commits
sion, the ultimate results being so ia.
cilitated.
The secretary of the Spanish COM
mission arrived last night and the in
terval will also be employed by the
secretaries jointly in maturing plans
for the work and procedure. While
the American commissioners were at
luncheon yesterday Gen. Merritt called
at their hotel but did not wait to see
them. He will call again this morn.
ing to meet the members of the COM
mission.
The Spanish and American commits
sioners will be received to-day by
President Faure. The hour fixed for
the reception Of the Americans is 4:45
in the afternoon. Gen. Merritt will
accompany the Americans to this
function, which will be held at the
Palais de Elysee.
The opinion is now held that the
work OF the commissions may be
finished within a month from the
present time. While it is the general
impression that yesterdays meeting
was again devoted to preliminaries,
and that the adjournment to Friday
was taken only to enable the secre-
taries to draw up a schedule of work,
the representative Of the Associated
press learns that the session was
highly important, and that the Amer
leans have made a demand Of such
character that the Spaniards find it
necessary to ask for an adjournment
in order to enable them to consult with
the government at Madrid. 1t is be-
lieved that the question concerns
the Philippines and is known that
the Americans are highly pleased at
having so soon reached what they con.
slider very important phase of the
negotiations, and consider the two
sessions thus far held as very satisfac-
tory to America. The fact that mem
Der Of the commission expressed the
belief that work would be completed
within a month indicates a happy
frame of mind.
In the Spanish camp great hopes are
built on what they believe Gen. Mer-
rift will advise, namely, that the Phil
ippines are incapable of self-govern-
ment and that the whole situation
does not warrant America in taking
the responsibility for the entire Philip
pines. The Spaniards are quite ready
to give whatever America asks in the
way Of coaling stations, but will resist
more to the verge Of a renewal OF hos
tilities.
SPAIN sTUPEFIED OVER A REPORT.
Madrid, Oct. 4. The reported inten.
ton Of the United States government
to retain the whole Of the Philippine
islands has created almost q state of
stupefaction here and it is semi-otf-
cially announced that the Spanish
government has resolved to vigorously
combat any such action, which, 1t is
claimed the terms Of the peace proto-
col preclude.