Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-04
SAMOAN COMMISSION
| Our Government Considering Sc
lection ola Representative,
| BERLIN TREATY TO STAND.
II is Thought Some Additional
Articles Viii Suffice.
CONFERENCES WITH ENGLAND.
Lord Salisbury IndispOsed to Enter
on Commission Plan Until Powers
to BE Granted the Commissioners
Are Fully Understood.
CONFERENCES WITH ENGLAND.
Lord Salisbury Indisposed to Enter
Are Fully Understood.

WASHINGTON. April s.-The Presi-
dent and Secretary Hay have been giving
consideration TO the selection of a repre-
sentative of the United States Govern
ment on the Samoan Commission, which
may be taken as pretty sure index of
the acceptance by our government Of the
agreement of the three Powers for set
Ting the issues that have now arisen re-
lative to Samoa.
The United States representative will
not be Il member of either the Senate or
the House of Representatives, according
to the present lights. 1t is probable that
the effort Will be to find some person
thoroughly familiar with the issues like
ly to be presented in the settlement OF
this Samoan dispute. The question Is a
complex one. and has generally dropped
out Of public notice during the last few
years. The number OF persons of the
official class who are well posted upon
It IS extremely limited
BRITAIN HAS NOT YET ACCEPTED.
In the absence OF an acceptance by
Great Britain OF the commission plan. 1t
has not been possible to proceed TO out
line the instructions to be given TO the
commission. II Is said that 1t does not
follow by any means that because the
commission IS appointed It is to at once
overthrow the treaty OF Berlin, under
the terms OF which the three govern
ments have for ten years administered
the affairs of Samoa. On the contrary, II
is entirely possible that the commission
will be able to adjust conditions at Apia
and elsewhere in the Samoan group TO
the terms Of that treaty, and It is con-
celved here that all that is needful for
reforming conditions there and placing
them on a satisfactory basis may be Sc
cured through the adoption or some addi-
tional articles to the Berlin convention,
not even affecting the general principle
Of the tripartite control.
POWERS OF COMMISSIONERS.
Many cable dispatches have been pass
ing between Washington and London In
regard 10 the Samoan settlement. The
main point IS one determining exactly the
terms on which the High Commission Is 10
proceed Lord Salisbury. the British Pre-
mier. is not disposed 10 enter pre-
cipitously on a plan, unless IL Is UNDER
stood fully just what the plan In all It's
details is The British Government Is as
ready as the United States or Germany
to accept the general principle of COM
missloners. but II wants TO know In ad-
vance Of the plan as to the power of the
commission. As Lord Salisbury Is in the
south Of France, the inquiries and re-
plies have to be forwarded TO him from
London. that necessarily there Is con-
siderable delay. The indications are that
the British authorities will give their ad-
herence 10 the agreement within day
or two, but it is stated that there Is sun
a chance. although a very slight one that
the agreement may not be considered.
CONFERENCE AT BERLIN.
BERLIN. April 3.-The Minister Of For
eign Affhirs, Baron Won Bulow, has spent
his holiday. returning Unexpectedly to the
capital to-day and held q lengthy con-
ference with the British Ambassador TO
Germany, Hon. Frank Cavendish Iascel-
les. on the subject Of Samoa.
PROMISE OF SETTLEMENT.
LONDON. April 4.-The Berlin corre-
spondent OF the Standard says: "Mr.
White. the American Ambassador, ex-
pressed TO me to-day CAlondaD his firm |
conviction that the whole Samoan ques- |
tion is now in a fair way to being settled |
satisfactorily to all the Powers interest