The Red Cloud chief., 1889-04-26
SAMOAN POLICY.
The American Commissioners Instructed
to Adhere to I:ayard'. Foley.

The American Commissioners Instructed
to Adhere to I:sysrd'. Policy.
A~sHiNGIoN, April 10 "A correspond.
"ni has obtained an abstract of the IN.
sirurti"n> from the State Department to
the Samoan Commission, which sailed on
Saturday.
The ideas and general policy Of Score.
iarv Bayard have been closely adhered to
10y Secretary Blaine.
The Commissioner are instructed TO in.
sisf upon the absolute autonomy Of the
native Government in the Samoan islands
The Commissioners are further in
~,ruc;ed not TO admit under any circuiD-
stances. the assumption so n~rrogantly
mnde by Prince Bismarck. that the repre-.
srntativcs OF the United STATES in Samoa
nave been in anv way resp onsible for the
i-plorable condition o: affairs there.
IL l. believed at the State Department
hat the GermanGovernm.nt will endeavor
to hold the L nited States responsible for
che conduct for which John {. Klein has
iesn charged in connection with tbs
battle of Fagali, December IL. ia which
twenty-thr.. German sailors were killed
toy the natives.
The Commissioner will hold ~strenuou.!y
that Mr.. Klein was present in Samoa
solely in n private capacity, and that he
did not take any such part in the battle OF
Fagali a is alleged. in support OF which
the af.iiaviis Of Mr.. Klein aud three Of
Mataa;a's soldiers, together with Mr..
kiein's testimony recently taken nj the
state department. will b. Introduced.
Probably the M ost delicate question the
members Of the Commission will be called
upon 10 consider will arise in connection
with the damages which Prince Bismarck
tas declared III. German Govern
m-nt Will exact Of the S~anoans for
!oss"s alleged TO have been sustained
by German subjects at the hands Of
tho natives The policy of the United
States. however, will Toe ie clearly ap-
parent White the Commissioners viii not
Ice prepared To res Isl in toto TIE demands
that Germany may make on the Samoans.
vet an emphatic protest viii tie made
against any attempt on the part OF Ger
many fo lay such an Indemnify upon the
impoveii shed natives as shall in effect
give the lmperia! Government n practical
mortgage upon the islands. thus enabling
the Ger mans to accomplish 10y thi, means
That which they have thus far failed To do
On the subjec; OF IN. formation Of q ma
tive government for the samoan islands
the commissioners Instructions do no,
bind :hem To the proposition submitted bv
Mr.. Baynrl and upon which the last con.
ference split Secretary Bayard's plan
involved n prepondeTance OF native in.
fiuence. To this the German Minister oh.
j-c'ed.
Another important feature Of the Gov.
.rnrneni scheme was the land court,
whose business would Toe TO examine into
the titles of Samoan estate. To settle the
many disputed ella ms that foreigners
are setting M IN Samoa. The Ger.
man Minister favored tho formation
e a land court. hut he would have
placed it, mach inerv entirely in German
hands. The Commissioner are not spe.
officially instructed as 10 tho representa-
ton the treaty powers NAV have IN the
local covrrnmsnt OF the islands. but they
are dir-c ed t. insist that such ge~pr.seuta.
uon shall Lee ab>o utely equa. and Impair
tial.
The question Oi the restoration Of tn.
status gao anti - quit fu " located in
the Instructions The Commissioners will
IL. every cGor; II bring abnu; an agree
meni embracing this restoration.
NJ one can pred Ct che length OF the
conference. The Commission IL amply
provided with funds, the entire appropri. |
alton OF $40 " made hy Congress Ia set
tie the Samoan troubles being available
FOR their expenses. |