New-York tribune., 1907-06-24

- - 0'7>' 'N'o'''
ment that the German Ambassador. Freiherr
Speck Won Sternburg. is net to be recalled. The
original cable message. dated at Berlin. which
suggested that Freiherr Won St9rnburg would
not return TO Washington. occasioned consider
able surprise as 1t was we'll known that his SER
vices to his sovereign as Ambassador to the
United States We're recognized by tho Kaiser
as having been of the utmost value, and that no
change had been contemplated.
When he first secretary of embassy in
Washington, in 1895, he became the close friend
OF President Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary
Of the Navy. and Immediately thereafter he per-
formed a service High Commissioner in the
settlement of the Samoan difficulties which not
only for him credit In his own country. but
which commanded respect In Washington With
Bartlett Tripp, the American commissioner.
and G. n Eliot the commissioner for Great
Britain Freiherr VOn Sternburg made the trip
to Samoa and on the recommendations of the
commission OF which he member was
based the treaty of 1899. which gave to the
United States Tutuia and some smaller islands
and 10 Germany all the remainder % the Samoan
group.
When. IN 1908 Sir Michael Herbert and Sig
nor Mayor des PlanChcs were struggling TO eff
feet settlement OF the Venezuelan claims. the
arrival of Freiherr Sternburg with his broad
knowledge OF American conditions. and his
close acquaintance with the President and other
prominent officials. brought order out of chaos
and avcrted the threatened failure of the DegO-
tiations. 1t was Immediately following the sue
Cessful conclusion OF these negotiations that
Freiherr Won Sternburg was appointed ambas-
sador vice DR. HOlleben, whose term of SER
vice in Washington had not been attended with
entire success
The German Emperor had remarked on sew
eral occasions that it his conviction that
Germany should be represented in Washing
TON bv "a personality who would win the re-
gard OF the American people as we'll as the
confidence of the American government" and
the Emperor generally declared happy in
his selection OF one so capable OF carrying out
his mission when he appointed Frciherr Won
Sternburg. 1t is an open secret that In the IN
cumbency of DR.. Won Holleben there had grown
IN n distrust Of Germany which did not stop
with the people. but reached as high in official
circles as Secretary Hay. 1t Is equally a fact
that since Freinerr SternburS became am
bassador the relations between the United
States and Germany have grown annually more
., rdial The previous distrust has been entirely
disspated in official circles, and almost entirely
so with the general publl"
when. something over year ago. the German
ma xImum and minimum tariff went into effect
the amba assador succeeded in persuading his gov
ernrnent to postpone its application to American
nroducts for a year and In that year he has sue
ceeded with the cordial assistance of Secretary
Root In perfecting commercial agreement which
has met with the approval of both governments
u was due to his efforts that the North Commits
eYon was created and sent TO Germany and that
IT'S work there facilitated by the cordial re-
rcntion OF the German officials. There is reason
IN believe that the present tariff agreement Is
not of a permanent character. and the presence
Of the present ambassador will unquesticnaby
roc,litate the perfecting of any new agreement
desipned permanently to replace the existing
modus.
In view of the fact that X has been asserted
,bo+ Freiherr Won Sternburg may he compelled
IN retire because of i'll health. and that he is
arictcd with cancer il may be well to add that
the nainfuI afliction from which he has suffered
for Some time is not of a canCerOus nature. but
is what the physicians term a lupus, growing
out OF an injury resulting from accident
Painful as this may have proved, II has in no
1vav interfered with the official social func
tions of the ambassador, and as the difficulty is
not incurabIe there is no good ground for as
suming that II will do On the contrary
Freiherr Won Sternburg is not only regarded as
one of the most active members of the diplo-
matte corps In Washington but he is of the
most popular He has always maintained his
close friendship with the President. and the two
are often seen riding together in the suburbs of
Washington. while the President has more than
once IN private conversation denounced in his
customary vehement manner rumors that the
appointment of Mr.. Bryce as British Ambassa-
dor his cOmpanionship with NJ Jusserand. the
French Ambassador, and other irrelevant cir
cumstances have in any way diminished his re-
gard for and his close relations with the am
bassador from Germany.
The German Ambassador married Ameri-
can girl, a Miss Langham, OF Kentucky, and her
graceful presence at the embassy has doubtless
gone far to promote that social success and pop
uIarty which the ambassador has attained in
Washington. for there is more attractive and
graceful hostess In the diplomatic corps than
Freifrau Speck Sternburg. The ambassador
and his wife confidently expected to return
from Europe early next month to occupy the
cottage they have taken for the season at Dub
lin, N H., near the home of ex-Secretary Hitch
cock.