The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-04-07
THE SAMOAN COMMISSIONERS
The Administration " III select One to As
sist In the settlement of the Dis
putes In the Far on Islands.

| NASlllNtIbNf NpTll s. nt prtSlucnt
and Secretary Hay have been giving
consideration To the selection of rep
rcscntativc OF the United States gov.
crnmeut on the samoan commission.
| lie will not loo n mem Der of either the
senate or hous, of representatives, ae-
cording to present lights. 1t Is
probable tina, the effort will be
TO find some person thoroughly
familiar with the issue likely to
hc presented in the settlement
Of this Samoan dispute. The question
Is complex one. and, having gener-
ally dropped out of public notice dur
ing the last ten years, the number OF
persons of the official class who are
well posted upon il is extremely limit
ed. it is regarded 10y the state depart
ment a. essential that the commission
be appointed at the earliest possible
moment
In the absence of an acceptance by
Great Britain of the commission plan ID
has not been possible to proceed to
outline the instructions to Toe given TO
that commission. II is said that IL
does not follow 10y any means that Toe.
cause the commission is appointed, il
is To at once overthrow the treaty
of Berlin, under the terms of which
the three governments have for ten
years administered the affairs of Sal
moa. On the contrary, il 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 il is con-
ceived here that all that is needful for
reforming conditions there and placing
them on basis that will insure a tram
quill and satisfactory administration Of
affairs may he secured through the
adoption of some additional articles 10
the Berlin convention, not even effect-
ing the general principle Of the tri-
partite control.
Many cable dispatches have been
passing between Washington and Lon.
don in regard TO the samoan settle-
ment. The main point is on determin.
ing exactly the extent of authority
which the high commission is TO pos.
sess. Lord Salisbury desiring all un@
certain points first cleared up and an
exact definition of what the commist
sion is TO do before committing Great
Britain. The British government is al
ready as the United STATED
or Germany TO accept the general prin}
ciple of commissioners, but IL wants IA
know in advance as to the power OF
she commission.
The indications are. that the Britain
authorities will give their adherenoV
to the agreement within day or -,
but il is stated that there Is still
chance, although very slight o,.IV
that the agreement may not lie tob
cludod. n
The present negotiations are conl
centrated on three main points, ancly
First, is the commission to report, y Il,
IL to have executive authority &c ad.
minister as well as TO negotiate, am Il
so, what is the extent OF its eXccu i've
power; second, will the action OF the.
commission be determined by
majority, or will uniui.
nous action be required; third.
II majority determination is arranred
what safeguard are 20 be provided to
insure unanimous execution. Tlis
last point-as between majority or I
unanimous action-isa vexing one. and
Is the same one which has arisen as
between the consular officials n
Samoa, and il is evident that Lord
Salisbury hesitates to assent to any
agreement which may renew this con.
,roversy. An agreement upon King
Oscar as final arbitrator would
pbviate deadlock, but this
while proposed unofficially during
the recent discussions, has not been
assented TO officially, so that attention
is still conferred on the issue between
majority or unanimous rule.