Mr. von Holleben to Mr. Gresham.
Washington, July 8, 1893.
Mr. Secretary of State: Referring to the note of the Hon. William F. Wharton, acting Secretary of State, of the 3d of March last, I have the honor to make the following communication to your excellency relative to the appointment of a new chief justice and a new president of the municipal council at Apia.
Since the British Government has disapproved of the appointment of Mr. Hennings, the candidate proposed by the Imperial Government for the office of president of the municipality of Apia, and since Lord Rosebery has suggested to us the appointment of another candidate, the Imperial Government has endeavored to find a suitable incumbent for that position, and thinks that it has found one in the person of Mr. Schmidt, formerly vice-consul at Apia, who is probably already known to the United States Government from the reports of its representatives at Apia. Having resided on the Samoan Islands for a number of years, he has a knowledge of affairs there, and also of the Samoan language. He has always succeeded in maintaining a good understanding with all classes of both the native and foreign population. If Mr. Schmidt should be appointed to the office in question, he would resign his position in the imperial service, and he is prepared to enter upon the discharge of his new duties on the same terms as did Baron Senfft von Pilsach, who has hitherto been president. The Imperial Government feels confident, in view of the qualities which he possesses, and of the experience which he has had, that he will reestablish a well-ordered administration in Samoa, and that, in the discharge of his official duties, he will be influenced solely by the principles of justice and right.
As appears from the aforesaid note of the State Department of March 3, 1893, the United States Government entertained the wish that, as regarded the successor of Baron Senfft von Pilsach, president of the municipal council, an understanding might be reached between the cabinet of Berlin and that of London, in the hope that the candidacy of Mr. Ide for the position of chief justice might still be maintained.
The British Government, having previously declared that it approved the appointment of Mr. Ide as chief justice, has now stated that it will not oppose the appointment of Vice-Consul Schmidt as president of the municipal council.
I consequently have the honor, in pursuance of instructions received from the Imperial Government, hereby to propose to that of the United States of America the appointment of Mr. Ide as chief justice and that of Mr. Schmidt as president of the municipal council.
Should the U. S. Government accept these proposals, as is to be hoped that it may, it would, in the opinion of the Imperial Government, be well, as was suggested in your excellency’s note of the 8th of May last, to send instructions by telegraph to its representative at Stockholm, to the end that he, conjointly with the German and English representatives, might take proper steps to secure the recall of Mr. Cederkrantz. We assume that Mr. Cederkrantz will remain at his post until the arrival of his successor. It would, therefore, be well to inform the Swedish Government at about what time Mr. Ide would probably be able to reach Apia and to enter upon the discharge of his duties.
In the opinion of the Imperial Government, Mr. Cederkrantz and [Page 678] Baron Senfft von Pilsach should receive the salaries attached to their respective offices until the day on which they cease to perform their functions at Apia. It is, however, doubtful whether the Samoan Government will have a sufficient amount of money at its disposal for this purpose. With regard to the salary of the chief justice, the treaty powers are bound by Article iii, section 2 of the Samoa act to pay any deficiency therein. As to the salary of the president of the municipality, no such obligation exists. The Imperial Government is, however, of the opinion that it would be an unreasonable hardship for that officer if, owing to the insufficiency of the funds available, he should not receive the full amount of the salary provided as his compensation for performing the duties of the office to which he was appoinied by the common consent of the treaty powers, and should thus suffer loss. It thinks, therefore, that it will be incumbent upon the governments to make good any deficiency in the salary of the president of the municipality, with the proviso that the amount thus paid shall hereafter be deducted from the revenues of the Samoan Government, which; under a proper administration of that Government, such as is expected from Mr. Schmidt, will suffice both for this purpose and for the future payments of the salary of the president of the municipality, so that no intervention of the powers will hereafter be necessary to secure the payment of that officer’s salary.
The Imperial Government further think that it would be proper to pay the expenses of the homeward journey of the retiring officers, together with those of the removal of their residence, although this was not expressly promised to them when they were appointed. A gross sum of $1,500 would seem to be the amount proper to be paid to each officer for this purpose.
The British Government has already approved these financial measures proposed by the Imperial Government, provided that they meet the approval of the American Government.
If, as I hereby have the honor to propose, the United States Government should also approve said measures, the consuls at Apia would have to be authorized to pay the sums in question to Mr. Cederkrantz and Baron Senfft von Pilsach, or his legal representative, each consul paying one-third of the whole amount.
I consequently take the liberty to request a speedy decision with regard to the candidates proposed by the Imperial Government and also with regard to the financial measures connected with the resignation of the present incumbents of the offices in question, and to apprise me, as soon as possible, of the result, so that I may inform my Government by telegraph.
I avail, etc.,