The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-04-03
.Bismark and Fill.


country concerning Germany's CLAIM
upon the Fiji Islands leaves the readt
in some wonder whether Bismark
meaning to seize upon the OWNERSHIP
of that fertile group; but the officii
correspondence recently published
England shows that the dispute
not of very grave Importance, say
perhaps for the principle involved
and for the evidence it gives Of Bis
marck's willingness to fret and an
nOy England, and to ride rough-sho,
over any rivalry in his endeavors t.
increase Germany's colonial import
ance. The object of the newly ap
pointed mixed commission is, in {
word, to reopen the claims of Ger
mans to compensation for lands taker
from them upon the British annexa
ton of Fiji IN 1874-claims that have
already been adversely acted upon.
The British sovereignty of Fiji was
assumed only after years of solicita-
ton and when the islands seemed in
hopeless confusion. 1t was first urged
in 1861, when the American, Williams,
was demanding an exorbitant COM
pensation for the accidental burning
of his house. In 1869 the United
States was asked to assume the pro-
tectorate, and two years later the
whites formed a government which
soon went to pieces, and which
threatened to force the island back
into barbarism. Lands had been
bought by whites of various natives
who were often bankrupts, and in
many cases it was purchased of ma
tives whose power to sell was dis
puted, SO that the whites never took
possession. Affairs were so muGdled
that the British Government stipulated
on assuming sovereignty that all
lands should be coded to the Crown
that were not''in the actual use or
occupation of some chef or tribe"
or that were not shown to have ''be-
come bona fide the property of
Europeans or other foreigners" A
commission was engaged for several
years in adjusting tho claims nder
the latter clause, and it is announced
that of 1O9 German claims, eighty
nine were allowed, twelve were
abandoned and eight were rejected.
The British Government seems to have
acted in good faith and with i'm
Partially in these settlements, and
even where the title was bad accepted
actual possession as evidence of valid
claims. But where the claimant was
not in possession it took the ground
that the proprietorship was to be
determined upon antecedent native
titles, laws and customs" and upon
he justice and good faith of the tran
action. Bismarck has now secured
he reopening of the disallowed aud
lbandoned cases, by insisting that
very German claim should be con-
idered "bona fde" unless it is proved
therw1se, even where there is no |
documentary evidence to support it.
his is a most remarkable assumption.
nd on it Bismarck aldeavored to
ave the damages assessed. What he
as secured is only commission to
e-examine the unsatisfied claims.
1t is pity that even so much has
cen yielded. The tendency will be
} induce every other disappointed
lalmant of every nation to seek to
ave his case also reopened, and thus
ring about confusion and possibly
larm and dissatisfy the natives, for
hose welfare England has labored
18th zeal in refreshing contrast to
} her conduct in other parts of her
npire. When British sovereignty |
as proclaimed the Fijians were be-
g treated with the harshest cruelty
7 the white settlers; their best lands
I'd been taken from them, extortion-
Q money taxes had been imposed
BON them, and their collection had
en enforced by heavy fines and i'm
isonment; whole towns were thus
rested and farmed out to distant
anters at wages which forced the
tives into almost perpetual slavery.
r Arthur Gordon stopped all this; he
established the old sytem of COM
lnity labor, encouraged agriculture, !,
d instituted other reforms which
We made them a measurably indus I
Gus people, despite the persistent |
d bitter opposition of the planters, G
10 have been forced to import wild s
often treacherous Polynesian >
orers.-St. Louis Globe Democrat. +