Evening star., 1899-04-03
TO BE COMMISSIONER
Names Considered by the President
and Secretary Hay.
SETTLING THE SAMOAN DISPUTE
Scope of the Proposed Tripartite
Council.
POINTS ETERMIN Ed

The President and Secretary Hay have
already been giving consideration to the
selection Of a repreSen tative of the United
States government on the Samoan commits
sion This fact may he taken as a pretty
sure index of the confidence of our govern
Tent in the agreement of the three powers
upon the commission plan for settling the
issues that have arisen relative to Samoa.
As matter of fact. it Is said. only the
absence of Lord Salisbury from London at
the present moment prevents immediate
completion of the agreement. and the
matter has undoubtedly by this time been
communicated to the British premier by
the officials of the British foreign office.
there is every reason to expect ,hat he Will
soon he heard from.
The American Commissioner.
The United States representative. it is
thought, will not be member of either the
Senate OF House of Representatives. for the
President has TO disposition just now to In
vite renewed criticism on that score.
This decision disposes Immediately of a
number of names that have been regarded
as extremely eligible. IT is probable now
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. The question is a complex
ore, and having generally dropped out of
public notice during the last ten years the
number of persons of the official class who
ere well posted upon IT is extremely limited
The German government is believed to be
much better of in this respect. and no
doubt is entertained that its representative
on the commission will be thoroughly IA
miliar with the various phases of the
SsmOan question.
: f1Ih hvr tln., rot.
as essential that the commission be ap-
pointed at the earliest possible moment fer
the condition of affairs in Samoa is such as
to warrant apprehension, and il NAV easily
pass to stage that would make il ex-
tremely difficult to reach any kind of a
satisfactory settlement by peaceable means.
Treaty May Not Be Overthroyvn
OF course 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 10 that com
mission 1t is said that it does not follow
by any means that because the commission
is agreed upon il is to overthrow at once
the treaty of Berlin, under the terms of
which the governments have for ten years
administered the affairs of Samoa. On the
contrary it is entirely possible that the
& commission will be able TO adjust conditions
at Apia and elsewhere in the Samoan group
10 the terms of that treaty. and il is CON
forming conditions there and placing them
on basis that will insure Il tranquil and
satisfactory administration of affairs may
be secured through the adoption OF some
additional articles to the Berlin convention
not even affecting the general principle of
the tripartite control Ii is felt that what
ever the faults of the tripartite principle
are, conditions can be more easily adjusted
under il than by turning to some new and
untried plan to which it may not be pos
sible to secure the adhesion of all three
treaty powers.
Communications With England
Many cable dispatches have been passing
between Washington and London in re-
gard to the Samoan settlement. The main
point, and. in fact, the only point open, is
ol determining exactly the extent of au-
thority which The high commission is to
possess. Lord Salisbury, the British pre-
mleT, 10 not disposed to enter precipitateiy
on plan until 1t is fully understood just
What The plan, IN It's details, is. The dis
patches between London and Washington
are directed toward clearing up all uncer-
tain points, and defining what the commits
sion Is TO DO The British government is
as ready as the United States or Germany
to accept the general principle of commits
sloners. but ii wants to know in advance.
the power of the commission. As Lord
salisbury is In the south Of France, the in
quiTies and replies have to be forwarded
10 him from London. so that necessarily
there is considerable delay
The Indications are that the British au-
thoritIes will give their adherence To the
agreement within day or two but il Is
stated that there is still a chance although
a very slight one, that the agreement NAV
not be concluded.
Powers of the Commission
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 we'll
as TO negotiate, and if So what Is the ex-
tent OF its executive power? Second-Will
the action of the commission be determined
by majority. or will unanimous action be
required? Third-If a majority determina
tion is arranged. what safeguards are TO he
provided to insure unanimous execution ?
This last POfnt-as between majority or
unanimous action-is a yexing one and is
the same one which has arisen as between
Iht consular offic4als in Samoa, and il is
evident that Lord Salisbury hes.ta.es tn as
sent TO any agreement which may renav
tnls controversy An agreement rDon King
oscar as nnal arbitrator would obyiare a
deadlock. but this. while proposed unoffi-
cAdIIy during the recent discussions has
not Deen assented to officially so that the
attention is still centered on the issue ha-
tween majority or unanimous rule
Inc need OF exactly defin!n. the scOpe of
t4e commissions authority is said to be
Sequstte In view of the far-reaching eff
lects II may have. Its work in seftIino,
past difficulties will be easy enough bIIY
when II comes to taking up the perrnanent
rule OF Samoa. the report NAV amount to
modihcation OF the treaty of Berlin. or
even the creation of new treaty. based on
the commissions observations of the de-
iects IN the old eondominium
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