The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-04
SAMOAN INCIDENT.
The Navy Department UphoIds Admiral
Kautz in All Things.
ACTED UNDER INSTRUCTIONS.
Ills Duty Is to Maintain Peace and
Protect Property.
DR.. SOLF HAS ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON
Called at State Department to Discuss the
Tjfuatinn
DR.. SOLF HAS ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON
Called at State Department to Discuss the
Situation.
ENGLAND HAS NOT ACCEPTED COMMISSION
Question Has Arisen as 10 Whether
All or N Majority Must Reach
an Agreement.

Washington, April S.--Dr. Soif the new
ly appointed president OF the municipality
of Samoa, arrived here today nr. solf
came TO the state department during tho
afternoon with Ambassador Won Hollebeu.
who presented him TO Secretary Hay. The
meeting WAS purely formal and then at tho
instance OF the secretary DR., Sof was made
acquainted personally with the assistant
secretaries OF state. He speaks excellsnt
English and made most agreeable inn
preston, Il has been arranged that hs
shall stay in Washington for a few days.
and during that time no will have an op-
portunlty 10 confer with the state depart
ment officials relative to Samoan affairs.
1t Is said here that Admiral kautz ~
fully sustained by the navy department in
every measure that ne has taken and mas
much as It must he assumed that the adj
mlral acted strictly in accordance win his
Instructions he viii be upheld in takias
such steps as were necessary TO mani
tain the peace ana insure the safety OF liTo
and property in samoa
The president ana secretary Hay have
been giving consideration TO the selection
OF Il representative OF the United States
L
lie win not be q member of either the
senate or the house OF representatives. ac-
cordng TO present lights. II Is probable
that an effort will be made to inb SOME
person thoroughly familiar with the issue
| likely 10 be presented In the settlement
Of the Samoan dispute. The question Is
complex ono and having generally droppe5
out of public notice during the last ten
years, tho number of persons OF the ofhclol
claes who arc well posted on II Is cx-
tremely limited II Is regarded by the state
department az essential that the commute
sion be appointed az tho earliest possible
moment,
In the absence OF IN acceptance by Great
Britain OF the commission plan II has not
been possible TO proceed 10 outline the in
structions to be given TO the commission.
n is entirely possible that the commission
will be able 20 adjust conditions at Apta
and elsewhere in the Samoan group to the
terms Of the berlin treaty, and Il IL con-
eelved here than all that L. needfu for re-
forming conditions there and placing thelu
on 4 basis that win insure a tranquil aud
satisfactory administration OF affairs may
be secured through the adoption 81 some
additional articles to the Berlin couven-
tlou not even affecting the gNioral pTinci-
pie of the trIpariite control
Many cable dispatches have passed be-
tween Washington and London In regArd 20
tho Samoan settlement The main point
Is on determining exactly the extent OF au-
thority which the high commission Is to &
possess, Lord Salisbury desiring all IN
certain points cleared up and an exact
definition OF what tho commission Is 10 do
before committing Great Britain. Tho
British government Is as ready as tho
United states or Germany 10 accept the
general principle of commissioners hut IL
wants to know In advance as 10 the power
OF the commission. The indications arc
that the British authorities VIII give their
adherence TO the agreement within day
or two. but Il is stated that there 10 still
a chance, although very slight one, that
the agreement may not be included
Tho present negotiations are concentrate
ed on three main points, viz: l. Is the
commission TO report or Is IL TO have exec
cutivo authority 10 administer AS well AZ
TO negotiate and II So what Is The extent
OF It's executive power? 2 VIII the action
OF the commission he determined by ma
FORTY or will unanimous action be re-
quired? g. II q majority determination
IL arranged what safeguards are TO be
provided to insure unanimous execution
The last point. as between majority or
unanimous action Is yeSing one, and It
is the same one which has arisen between
the consular officials in Samoa. and II Is
evident that Lord Salisbury hesitates to
assent TO any agreement which may renew
this controversy. An agreement upon
King Oscar as final arbitrator would OH
yate deadlock. but this. while proposed
unoffcially during the recent discussions.
has not been assented TO officially SO that
attention Is still centered on the issue
between majority or unanimous rule.