The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-07
GOOD FEELING
As TO SAMOA
Harmony of the Powers
Restored.
SETTLEMENT SEEMS ASSURED
COMMISSIONERS MUST ACT IN
UNANIMITY.
SETTLEMENT SEEMS ASSURED
Only Those Who Have Never Had
Hand in Island Imbroglios
Will Be Chosen by the
Governments.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


Call Headquarters. Wellington Hotel,
Washington, April 6.
Herr Solf, who is to succeed DIR.
Raffel as president of the Municipal
Council of Apia, has left Washington
for his post He intends to stop in
Chicago for day or two and also at
Colorado Springs, Colo, planning his
movements so as to be able to take
the steamer at San Francisco some time
between the 10th and 10Th of next
month.
The State Department has not yet
selected its representative on the Sa-
moan commission, but the President is
giving the matter his personal atten-
ton. Nearly every American who has
had anything TO do with Samoa in a
representative capacity in recent years
has turned up as an applicant for this
place. But the State Department does
not feel disposed to choose from among
them, principally for the reason that it
is deemed proper to name some person
who has not been involved in any man
ner in the past difficulties on the is
lands. If there is any intention of Sc
curing an amicable agreement between
the three powers interested in Samoan
aHdlrS II Is DeLlSNSO lIldI SOil4C SNNA4
policy as this is essential.
Therefore the Berlin intimation in
some of the press dispatches that Herr
Schmidt had been selected as the Ger
man Commissioner does not meet with
credence here, for it is we'll known that
while he was at Apia, first as wee Con-
sui and afterward as president OF the
Municipal Council, Herr Schmidt by
his uncompromising championship OF
int
fiicted with those of Americans, became
involved with our Consul Mr.. Mulligan,
TO q degree which led to the retirement
of both of these officials. II it is
deemed essential that the commission
ers should be experienced in Samoan
affairs, however, that fact Will un-
doubtedly color the selection or an
American representative by the Presi
dent.
1t is possible that there may be a
misapprehension regarding the German
Commissioners. owing to the large num-
Der of Schmidts in the consular ONCE
one report being that it is Herr
Schmidt, Consul at Caracas.
The German ambassador, DR.. Won
Holleben, called at the State Depart
ment to-day to felicitate Secretary HAY
on the satisfactory adjustment OF the
Samoan affair. Even as late as yester-
day afternoon the last possibilities OF
a hitch had not disappeared, but late
in the day official dispatches were re-
ceived from Berlin stating that as a
result of conferences between the Ger
man. British and American represen-
tatives a settlement was assured.
The main feature of this conference
was in a determination that the high
commission would act by unanimous
vote and not through majority. rms
is on the theory that the delegates Will
be Of high character, that unanimous
agreement will be certain, although
mere is. of course. the possibility of a
deadlock. The present tendency is not
TO provide a final arbitrator, but TO as
sumo that the commission will agree
among themselves. This eliminates for
the present King Oscar of Sweden, who
has been mentioned for umpire. The
German Embassador and members OF
his staff also made a call to-day at the
British Embassy, thus further eyidenc-
ing the agreeable relations which nave
suddenly taken the place OF rather
strained conditions heretofore prevail
ing in Samoa.