Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-04
SAMOA'S PRESIDENT ARRIVES
Consults Washington officials Concerning His
New Duties.
MAKES A MOST AGREEABLE IMPRESSION
President and Secretary Hay Are En-
EnRcd in Somewhat Dimcult Tnsl>
of Searching for Man Fitted
for samoan Commission.

gngcd in somewhat Dimcult Tnsl<
of Searching for Man Fitted
for samoan Commission.
WASHINGTON, April S.-Dr. solf the
newly appointed president of the munich
pelty Of Samoa, arrived here today. lie
came at the request OF the German amba sa-
dor, DR.. Won Holieben, to talk over Sa
moan affairs and to be presented to SeCre-
tary Hay.
DR.. Solf came to the State department
during the afternoon in company with Am
bassador Won Holleben, who presented him
to Secretary Hay. The meeting was purely
formal and then at the instance Of the sec
rctary Dr. Solf was made acquainted per-
sonally with the assistant secretary Of state
He speaks excellent English and it was
frankly confessed al the department that he
made a most agreeable impression. 1t has
been arranged that he shall stay in Wash
ington for few days and during that time
he will have an opportunity TO confer with
the State department officials relative to Sa-
moan affairs.
Way Cleared for Understandings.
If perfect understanding is reached in
advance of DR.. Soils departure for his post
of the exact ideas CT each party to the tri-
partite government at first hand. and as he
has already visited the British ambassy in
London the way appears to be cleared for
a satisfactory agreement.
1t is said here that Admiral Kautz is fully
sustained by the Navy department in every
measure that he has taken and inasmuch
as it must be assumed that the admiral
acted strictly in accordance with his In
structions he will be upheld in taking such
steps as were necessary to maintain the
peace and insure the safety of life and
property in Samoa. 1t is explained in ad-
mnistration circles that the expression Of
regret that a hostile collision had occurred
was simply an expression Of a feeling that
actually existed, but it does not follow that
! it implied any sort Of condemnation of the
action Of the admiral founded, as the action
undoubtedly was, on plain necessity.
| The president and Secretary Hay have
! been giving consideration to the selection
! OF a representative of the United States gov
| ernment on the Samoan commission. He
will not be member of either the senate
or house of representatives according to
/ present indications.
! Requirements of Position Exacting.
1t is probable that the effort will be to
! find some person thoroughly familiar with
I the issue likely to be presented in
( the Samoan dispute. 1t is com
plex one and has generally dropped out
of public view during the last ten years,
and the number of persons of the official
/ class who are well posted on it is extremely
| limited. 1t is regarded by the State de-
partment as essential that the commission
! be appointed at the earliest possible mo-
! ment
| In the absence of an acceptance by Great
| prit In pf ha cio nlo bou
been possible to proceed to outline the in
structions to be given to that commission
| 1t is said that it does not follow by any
means that because the commission is ap-
| pointed, it Is TO at once to overthrow the
F.! treaty of Berlin, under the terms of which
| the three 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 con-
| ditons at Apia and elsewhere in the Samoan
group to the terms of that treaty and it
! is conceived here that all that is needed
for reformning conditions there and plac-
ing them on a basis that will insure a
tranquil and satisfactory administration of
affairs may be secured through the adop
ton of some additional articles to the Ber-
! lin convention, not even affecting the gem
| eral principle of the tripartite control.
! between Washington and London in regard
to the Samoan settlement. The main point
| is in determining exactly the extent OF
authority which the high commission is to
possess, Lord Salisbury desiring all uncer-
tain points first cleared up and an exact
definition of what the commission is to do
before committing Great Britain.
British Commend the Plan.
nritiob ie 90 raady tlo
United States or Germany to accept the
general principle of commissioners but it
wants to know in advance as to the power
of the commission.
The indications are that the British au-
thorties will give their adherence to the
agreement within day or two, but it is
stated that there is still chance, although
very slight one, that the agreement may
not be concluded
The present negotiations are concentrated
on three main points, viz:
First: Is the commission to report or is
1t to have executive authority to administer
as well as TO negotiate; If So what is the
extent of its executive power?
Second: Will the action of the commission
be determined by a majority or villa unani-
nous action be required?
Third: If majority determination is ar
ranged what safeguards are to be provided
to insure unanimous execution?
This last point-as between majority or
unanimous acton-ls a vexing one, and Is
the same one which has arisen between
the consular officials in Samoa and 1t 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 obvate a
deadlock, but this. while proposed unofh
cially during the recent discussions, has not
been assented to officially, so that attention
is still centered on the issue between ma
jority and unanimous rule.