Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-05-25
Risnark and Fiji.

Inc DrleI ulSpatcneS sent 10 tnlS
country concerning Germany's claims
upon the FIJI Islands leaves the reader
in some wonder whether Bismark is
meaning to seize upon the ownership
of that fertile group; but the official
correspondence recently published IN
England shows that the dispute is
not of very grave Importance, save
perhaps for the principle involved,
and for the evidence it gives of Bis
marck's willingness to fret ana an
noy England, and to ride. rough-shod
over any rivalry in his endeavors to
increase Germany's colonial import
ance. The object Of the newly APP
pointed mixed commission is, in a
word, to reopen the claims of Ger
mans to compensation for lands taken
from them upon the British annexa-
ton of Fiji In 1874-claims that have
already been adversely acted upon.
The British severe gnty 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 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 muodled
that the British Government stipulated
on assuming sovereignty that all
lands should be ceded 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 tide the property of
Europeans or other foreigners" A
commission was engaged TOR several
years in adjusting the claims under
the latter clause, and it is announced
that of 100 German claims, eighty
nine were allowed, twelve wero
J abandoned and eight were rejected
The British Government seems to have
acted in good faith and with i'm
partialty 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
the justice and good faith of the tran
saction. Bismarck has now secured
the reopening of the disallowed and
abandoned cases, by insisting that
every German claim should be con-
sidered ''bona fide" unless it is proved
otherwise, even where there is no
documentary evidence to support it.
This is most remarkable assumption.
and on it Bismarck endeavored to
have the damages assessed. What he
has secured is only commission to
re-examine the unsatisiied claims.
1t is a pity that even SO much has
been yielded. The tendency will be
to induce every other disappointed
claimant of every nation to seek to
have his case also reopened, and thus
bring about confusion and possibly
| alarm and dissatisfy the natives, for
whose welfare England has labored
with zeal in refreshing contrast to
to her conduct in other parts of her
empire. When British sovereignty
was proclaimed the Fijians were be-
Ing treated with the harshest cruelty
by the white settlers; their best lands
had been taken from them, extortion-
ate money taxes had been imposed
upon them. and their collection had
been enforced by heavy fines and i'm
prisonment; whole towns were thus
arrested and farmcd out to distant
planters at wages which forced the
natives INTO almost nprnafnal oln unru