The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-07
They Are So Numerous in the
German Public Service.
That 1t is Hard to Tell Who Has
Been Named
ON THE COMMISSION
Which Will Adjust the Disturb
ance i'm Samoa.
Mckinley is Flooded With Appli-
cations For a Place.

Washington, April Herr Solf, who
is to succeed DR.. Raffel as president Of
the municipal council of Apia, has left
Washington for his post. He intends
to stop in Chicago for a day or two,
| and also at Colorado Springs, Col. PLAN
ming his movements so as to be able to
take the steamer at San Francisco be-
tween the 10th and 18th of next month.
The state department has not yet Sc
1ected it's representative on the Samoan
commission, but the president is giving
the matter his personal attention. Near
ly every American that has had any
thing to do with Samoa in a represen-
tative capacity in recent years has
turned up as an applicant for this place,
but the state department 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 past
d1fhcultleS on the islands, If there is
any real intention of securing an ami
cable agreement between the powers
interested in Samoan affairs it is be-
HeVed that some such policy as this is
essential. Therefore the Berlin intima-
ton of some of the press dispatches
that Herr Schmidt has been selected
as the German commissioner does not
meet with credence here, for it is we'll
known that while he was at Apia, first
as vice consul and afterwards as presi-
dent OF the municipal council, Herr
Schmidt, by his uncOmprOmising cham
pionship of the German interests where
they conf1icted with those of the Amer
leans became involved with our consul,
Mr. Mulligan to a degree which led to
the retirement of both of these officials.
If it is deemed essential that the COM
missioners should be experienced in Sa-
moan affairs, however, that fact will
undoubtedly color the selection of an
American representative by the presi-
dent.
1t is possible that there may be a
misrepresentation regarding the German
commissioner, owing to the large num-
Der of Schmidts in the consular service,
one report being that it is Herr Schmidt,
consul at Caracas.
The German ambassador, DR.. Won
Holleben. called at the state depart
ment today to felicitate Secretary Hay
on the satisfactory adjustment Of the
Samoan affair. Even as late as yester-
day afternoon the last possibilities Of
hitch had not disappeared, but late in
the day official dispatches were received
from Berlin stating that as a result of
conferences between the German, Brit
ish and American representatives set
Element was assured. The main fea-
ture of this conference was a deter
animation that the high commission
should act by a unanimous vote, and
not through majority. This is on the
theory that the delegates will be of high
character, that unanimous agreement
will be certain, although there is, of
course the possibility of a deadlock
The present tendency is not to provide
final arbitrator, but to assume that the
commission will agree among them
selves. This eliminates for the present
King Oscar of Sweden, who has been
mentioned for umpire. The German
ambassador and members of his staff
also made a call today at the British
embassy, thus further evidencing the
agreeable relations which have suddenly
taken the place of the rather strained
conditions heretofore prevailing in Sa-
mOa-