SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11126, 19 January 1899, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

-^~ry - - (Per R.M.S. Alatneda at Auckland.) [bt telegraph.] Auckland, Wednesday. A THEATRICAL SCENE. i A PEN PICTUKK OF THE PEACE' COMMISSIONERS. 3 When the treaty of peace between the } United States and Spain was signed at , Paris the scene was not without theatrical feature. The Spanish Commissioners sat ! silent, and appeared to bo plunged iv the deepest grief. The Americans were dresaed for a dinner to bo given directly after : signing. Ton arbiters of the destiny of an j old and a young nation sat grouped about a great mahogany table, and numerous attache's were grouped about. No one could withhold sympathy from Senor Montero Itio3, who came from his , bed bundled in a great ovorcout, though < a huge fire blazed close bosido him. The English, and thon the- Spanish, vorsion of the treaty were read. Then the two copies were passed around the table, the Coinmissionors signing in order of their rank. • Considerable remark has been made on > the announcement that ex-Secretary of State Day and Mr Whitelaw Eeid, mem!- -! bers of the Peace Commission, will receive at least 100,000 dollars (^£20,000) ' each for their services at the ' Paris conference. Mr James Bassett > Moore, Secretary of the Commission, will receive 50,000 dollars (.£10,000). ' Three other members are United States ; senators, and will receive no compensac tion other than their expenses for assisting in the negotiations. These large sums are payable without reference to , Congress out of the National Defence Fund. Justification for the enormous ' fees is found in diplomatic usage. The 1 fees and expenses of the attaches will be , a mere bagatelle when compared to the , enormous sum paid to Day, Eeid, and Moore for services for 96 days. Congress has already accomplished considerable work, and it is expected that ' work of immediate necessity may be com--1 pleted without the necessity of an extra , session, which has been expected. Secretary of War Alger has already learned what he may expect at the hands of Congresss. That body looks with disfavor upon Alger's dream of militarism, and will not arrange for an immense standing army. The President has been obliged to interfere to some extent for the sake of placating Congress, and instead of establishing a standing army of 100,000 men, the Administration must now rapidly arrange for the mustering , out of about 50,000 volunteers. The friends of the navy are contending that at least a fair share of the appropriation made by the present Congress should be for the navy, which so magnificently distinguished itself during the war now just concluded. Secretary Alger's motives in advocating an increase of the army are distrusted by the large class of citizens already dissatisfied with the management which allowed soldiers to suffer and perish from hunger when a rich nation was anxious to, and did, pour out money liko water for their comfort and convenience. It is expected that the peace treaty will be rushed through Congress, and will reach the Senate by January 4th. Spain is in need of money, and Congress will bo urged to arrange at once for the 20,000,000 dollars (^6-1,000,000) due to that unfortunate nation.