The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-15
The QUESTION STATED.
Papers on the samoan Case sent to Cor
gress-TIae whole Question Stated.

fore Congress yesterday afternoon. In his
letter of tTansmittal President Cleveland
says the Governments of Germany and
Great Britain have consented to their pub.
lication.
The protocols of the first conference, at
which was present Secretary Bayard, Mr..
AlYensteben and Sir Lionel West, contains
the propositions of the three diplomats as
to the form of Government that should be
provided for Samoa The Ger
man representative set forth that
Malietoa having notoriousIy viola ted his
treaty rights with Germany, and having
but small minority Of follow ers among
the natives, Tamasese having the support
of great majority, an election of a new
King must take place. Then, IN order to
secure peace and order in the islands,
foreign representative should be appointed
as advisor to the King, and 20 act as the
mandatory of the three treaty powers. He
also suggested a renewal OF the principle
Of absolute equality of the three powers
on the islands.
Secretary Bayard suggested scheme
of constitutional government for Samoa,
with native legislature, securing its i'm
dependence and autonomy, including an
Acknowledgements of Malietoa, as King
and Tamasese as Vice-King.
The English Government, through Sir
| Lionel West, suggested an agreement
among the treaty powers that one of them
should, as the mandatory of the other two,
act as advisor of the Samoan Government,
and in view of the preponderance of Ger
man interest there, was willing to let Ger
| many have the first term of FIVE years.
England agrees with Germany in acknowl-
edging the necessity for the election of a
new King. All the representatives pro-
posed the organization of land court or
commission to settle the question of titles
/ No discussion occurred at this conference
At the second meeting Secretary Bay ard
stated the points upon which he under
/ stood all were agreed.
Then followed long discussion of the
/ details of the Government to be created.
Secretary Bayard consented TO a new
election. hut insisted it should be a nation
al election, free and unawed; that the
| customs of the Samoans should prevail in
it, and that the result of the election
should be announced to and declared by
the three Consuls who should not other
wise participate in the proceedings.
Sir Lionel West said he could assent to
that proposition. The natives must elect
a King and the election be free. Mr.. Won
Alvensteben inquired whether they should
| not take into consideration the proba bility
| of the natives not arriving at an election.
Should not certain time be fixed within
which an election should take place. If il
should not take place within that time,
then the three powers should agree upon a
King.
Mr.. Bayard thereupon proposed to con-
tinue Malietoa in office. but Mr.. West and
| Mr.. Won Alvensteben united in opposition
to this. The latter also inquired whether
the newly elected King should not be ap-
proved by the powers, to which Mr.. Bay
ard replied in the negative insisting that
| there must be a free election.
-k,Te,,- I, I g. -
statement of the position of his Govern
ment in which he says there is only one
course-to place one foreign officer at the
head of the Administration and to invest
him with sufficient powers to take meas
ures required for the maintenance Of peace
and order, as well for the prosperous
development of commerce and intercourse.
Germany having the largest interest
should nominate the official. Mr.. Bayard
said the native Government was to pre-
serve it's own existence. The idea of the
United States was that there should be an
equality of rights between the powers.
Mr.. Won Alvensteben said that was in
tended.
At the third meeting Mr.. West read q
paper in support of the mandatory scheme
and said that the British Government was
willing that the German representative
should act as the mandatory OF the
other two powers for the first term
of FIVE years. At the next session Mr.
Bayard said he had not the slightest de.
sire to exercise any prepOnderance over
Germany and Great Britain, but he did de-
sire to see the native influence upheld by
the three powers equally and for a com.
mon purpose. He desired also to advert
to the Importance of the practical neutral
ization of the islands.
At the fifth meeting Mr.. Bayard declared
that the German plan would result in ar
inequality which would grow larger, bu
Mr.. West would not concede this point.
At the last session, on July 20, MIR Bay.
ard, in reviewing the German propos osition
said: ''The plan as proposed and ex
planned by Mr.. Won Alvensteben is sub
stantially a foreign autOcratic govern
ment based on mercantile interests; anC
ali experience has shown what must nee
essarily result from such an attempt
and that under it the defeat of the OBJ
jects we have all distinctly proposed il
certain. L do not see why we shoulC
not recognize at the outset, and encourage
in Samoa, a spirit of self-governiRg free
dom and self-respect- Germany and th,
United States have heretofore given stronI
indication of their desire for this by theii
} prompt disavowaIof the arbitrary and an
autho zsd acts of their respective ConsHIs
(Steubel and reenbaum). And it is no
ticeable til at the conduct of foreigners ha
been the cause of more disorder and dis
content in Samoa than any spon an eou
action of the natives who, whenever they
have acted improperly and immoraliy
would appear to have done 50 upon the in
stigation of some foreign agent We car
not, therefore, condemn native self-goyern
Inent in advance. for It has not beensfried
and plan containing such an element j
entitled 10 favorable consideration, and q
bc fairly tested. Would it not therefore, b
we'll for Us 10 adjourn this conference un
I'll the autumn and thus give time to tn
! Ministers of Germany and Great Britain
to submit their protocols to their re
spective Governments IN order that in
s3ructions may be received by them of /
! more definite character, by means O
which we may be enabled to come to al
agreement5s Mr.. Bayard's proposition +
adjourn until autumn was then agreed 70