The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-01
Will Only Be Selected to Serve on the
Commission.
The THREE INTERESTED NATIONS
Have Virtually Agreed to Submit the
Matter to Arbitration, With
King Oscar of Sweden as
the Final Umpire.

mission to settle the entire Samoan trouble
has been agreed upon by the United States,
British and German governments. Lord
Salisbury's absence from London alone de-
lays the formal acceptance by Great Brit
ain, though in his absence Sir Thomas Sam
derson and Mr.. Villiers, who are under stood
to be specially familiar with the Samoan
question, have approved the plan for a
commission. The United States has In
formally expressed its approval, and the
formal acceptance, it is learned from the
highest quarter, will be speedy. This high
commission 1t is felt affords pacific
luton to the whole trouble at the moment
when the Somoan affairs began to look the
most threatening.
The new plan has been fully gone over by
Secretary Hay and the British and German
ambassadors here, and its essential details
worked out Each nation is to be repre-
sented by one member on the commission.
1t is to have practically unlimited author
ity without the necessity of referring its
decisions to the several governments for
approval.
Danger Will BE Obviated
1t is felt that by comforting such COM
plete and final authority on the high COM
mission the danger will be obviated of any
further deadlocks and delays. Still an
other important provision under considera-
ton Is that King Oscar of Norway and
Sweden shall be the umpire in case the
three high commissioners should fail to
reach a determination. The plan of invit-
ing King Oscar to referee a disagreement
tha af Prif
man authorities and doubtless will be ap-
proved also by the United States as a
means of assuring finality of decision,
though it is-not known just how far this
has been considered by the Washington
authorities.
King oscar was agreed upon between the
United States and Great Britain as final
arbitrator in connection with the proposed
Anglo-American arbitration treaty, as well
as in the Venezuelan matter He is also
mentioned in the treaty of Berlin as the
one to name chief justice of Samoa in
case the three signatory powers fail to
agree OH a chief justice 1t was this that
led to the suggestion of his name at the
present time to act as final arbitrator and
the expectation is that the sittings Of the
commission will be in Samoa where for the
time being they have complete authority
over the whole range of Samoan affairs,
SO Iar as the nlBn cOInIHlSSlOH may lnlIih
fit to act In order to fully restore order
and establish affairs on a stable basis. 1t
will require no treaty to bring the commits
sion into existence, as the acceptances of
the United States and Great Britain will
complete the agreement.
Selection OF Arbltrators
1t is understood that the men selected for
the commission will be of high standing, so
as to give added weight and dignity to
their findings, such, for instance, as the
consul general of Germany, whose juris-
diction covers the whole range of Pacific
affairs. He is a man of complete informa-
ton on Samoan and other Pacific islands
subjects, as we'll as a man of political in
nuence. The United States and British
commissioners, it was understood, would
be drawn from the same high rank, with
the view, however, TO their information on
international matters of this character
rather than their political standing.
AS showing that the acute phase of the
Samoan question is past, Baron Speck Won
Sternberg, first secretary of Germany, left
here tonight for New York, whence he
sails on the 9Th for London and Berlin He
has been a most active factor throughout
the Samoan controversy, having made that
question a special study and thus being
able to render the ambassador material as
sistance. His influence at all times has
been toward maintaining the friendly rela-
-tions between the two countries and over
coming the causes of irritation. His trip
to London and Berlin has no significance
whatever in connection with Samoan af-
fairs. but is entirely personal. after the
gravity of the affair had passed.