The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-07
The SELECTION
OF ARBITRATORS
To Arrange Samoa Dispute Is Being
Considered.
| AMERICAS REPRESENTATIVE
Has Not Been Decided Upon, Although
Applicants Are Numerous.
HERR SOLF IS EN- ROUTE TO APIA
Will Take Steamer at San francisco
Some Time Between i 9th and / l6th
Of Next Month-Who
is Schmidt?
HERR S0LF IS EN- ROUTE TO APlA

Washington, April 6.--Herr Solf, who is
to succeed DIR. Raffel as president of the
municipal council of Apa has left WASH
ington for his post via Chicago and Colora-
do Springs, Col, planning his movements
so as to be able to take the steamer at San
Francisco some time between the 10th and
18th of next month.
The state department has not yet select
ed its representative on the Samoan COM
mission, but the president is giving the
matter his personal attention. Nearly
every American who has had anything to
do with Samoa in representative capacity
in recent years has turned up as an appii-
cant for this place. But the state depart
ment does not feel disposed to choose from
among them principally for the reason that
it is deemed proper to name some person
who has not been involved in any manner
in the past difficulties on the Islands.
Ii there is any real intention of securing
an amicable agreement between the three
powers interested in Samoan affairs it is
believed that some such policy is essential.
Therefore the Berlin intimation in some of
the press dispatches that Herr Schmidt has
been selected as the German commissioner
does not meet with credence here, for it Is
well known that while he was at Apia first
as vice-consul and afterwards as president
of the municipal council, Herr Schmidt by
his uncompromising championship of the
German interests where they conflicted
with those of Americans became involved
with our consul, Mr.. Mulligan, to degree
which led to the retirement of both of these
officials.
More Than One Schmidt
If 1t Is deemed essential that the commits
sioners should be experienced in Samoan
affairs. however, that fact will undoubtedly
cover the selection of an American repre-
sentative by the president 1t is possible
that there may be a msapprehension re
sarding the German commissioner owing
to the large number of Schmidts in the con-
sular service, one report being that 1T is
Herr Schmidt, consul at Caracas. The Ger
man ambassador, DR.. Won Holleben, called
st the state department today to fe!icitate
Secretary Hay on the satisfactory adjust
ment of the Samoan affair. Even as late
as yesterday afternoon the last possibili-
ties of hitch had not disappeared, but late
IN the day official dispatches were received
from Berlin stating that as result Of con-
ferences between the German, British and
American representatives settlement was
assured. The main feature of this confer
ence was determination that high conf
mission would act by unanimous vote aad
not through a majority. This is on the the
ory that the details will be of high char
acter; that unanimous agreement Will he
certain, though there is of course, the
possibility of deadlock. The present tend
ency is not to provide a final arbitrator,
hut to assume that the commission WI
agree among themselves. 1his eliminates
for the present King Oscar of Sweden, who
has been mentioned for umpire. The Ger
man ambassador and members of his stan
also made a call today at the British en-
bassy, thus further evincing the agreeable
relations which have suddenly taken the
place of the rather strained conditions
heretofore prevailing in Samoa.