The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-04-07
TROUBLE In SAMOA.
President Mckinley Considering the
Selection of a Commissioner.
THE POINTS BEING NEGOTIATED.
The Selection of King Oscar as Arbitrator
Not A-sented to OmciaIIy-A Chance
That the Method for Settle
ment May Yet Fail

Washington, April 4.-The president
and Secretary Hay have been giving
consideration to the selection of rep
resentative of the United States gov
ernment on the Samoun commission
He will not be "A mem Der of either SEN
ate or house of representatives,, ac-
cording to present lights. 1t is proba-
BILE that the effort will be to find some
person thoroughly familiar with the
issues likely to be presented in the
settlement of this Samoan dispute.
In the absence OF an acceptance by
Great Britain of the commission plan
it has not been possible to proceed TO
outline the instructions To be given
to that commission. 1t is sand that
IL does not follow hv any means that
because 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 in Sa-
moa. On the contrary, it is entirely
possible that the commission will be
able To ad just cond tions at Apia and
elsewhere in the Samoan group to the
terms of that treaty, and IT is con-
ceived here that all that is needed for
reforming conditions there and pac.
ing them on u basis that will insure
tranquil and satisfactory administra-
tion of affairs may he secured through
the adoption of some additional arti-
cles to the Berlin convention, not even
affecting the general principle of the
tripartite control.
Many cable dispatches have been
passing between Washington and
London in regard to the samoan set
tlement The main point is on de-
termining exactly the extent of au-
thority which the high commission is
TO possess. Lord Salisbury desiring
all uncertain points first cleared up
and an exact definition of what the
commission is to do before committing
Great Britain. The British govern
ment is as ready as the United States
or Germany to accept the general
principle of com mmissioners, but it
wants to know in advance as to the
power of the commission. The indica.
tions are that the British authorities
will give their adherence to the agree
ment within dav or two. but it is
stated that there is still a chance, al
though very slight one that the
agreement may not be concluded.
The present negotiations are concen-
trated on three main points, viz: First,
is the commission to report, or is it to
have executive authority to administer
as well as to negotiate, and, if so, what
is the extent of its executive power;
second, will the action of the commits.
sion be determined by majority, or
will unanimous action be required; (;
third. if a majority determination is
arranged, what safeguards are to be
provided to insure unanimous execu-
tion. This last point--as between ma
jority or unanimous action--is vex-
ing one and is the same one which has
arisen as between the consular officials
in Samoa and it is evident that Lord
Salisbury hesitates to assent to any
agreement which may renew this con-
troversy An agreement upon King
Oscar as final arbitrator would obviate
a deadlock, but this, while proposed
unotiicially, during the recent discus
sions, has not been assented to official
ly, so that attention is still cen ntered on
the issue between majority or unani-
nous rule.