Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-18
TIE COMMISSIONERS INSTRUCTIONS.

41AG SommASo4ON Eho 1NST6UCTlUNS.
According to the report made by the
news agencies at the East, they have
secured an abstract of the instructions
of the State Department to the Samoan
Commissioners ON behalf the United States
Government. The purported abstract on
It's face is reasonable, in the main, and we
there accept it at the value claimed for
It 1t thus appears that the Commits
sion is instructed, as first essential to set
Element of the Samoan question, to insist
that Germany shall confess the absolute
autonomy of the native Government of
the islands. The Commission will take no
account whatever of the claim that, be-
cause Germany at this particular moment
has preponderating commercial interest
IN Samoa, she should have chief control
over the Samoan Government. The posi-
ton of the United States appears to be
that wewill have nothing whatever to do
with CONTROL" except so far as local or
consular government in Apia may be
necessary for the protection of our inter
ests. The Commission is instructed to
deny with emphasis that our representa-
tives have in any way fostered enmity
among the natives of Samoa toward the
Germans, and it is to give Germany to
understand that we do not for moment
admit any responsibility for the conflict of
arms In Samoa between natives, or natives
and the Germans. Regarding the charge
that John G.. Klein aided the troops of
Mataafa against the Germans, and that the
United States Government must therefore
admit its responsibility for HIM and make
redress, the Commissioners are instructed
to strenuously resist such claim. and
under no circumstances give it counte-
nance the fact being, first, that Klein was
IN Samoa in private capacity, and sec
ondly, that he did not take any part in
the battle that resulted so disastrously to
the Germans The abstract from which
these instructions are cleaned is not salts
flying upon the question of Germany's
claim of right to exact from Samoans in
demnity for alleged insults and injuries
sustained by German subjects. We are
told that the Commissioners are instructed
TO approach that subject delicately, and
while not resisting the German claim IN
toto, to insist that there shall be no exac-
tons that viii cripple Samoa and give
Germany mortgage upon the resources
and energies of the country. 1t would
more nearly meet the American sentiment
TO say that the United States cannot afford
to be silent before claim preferred, such
as Germany insists upon. Its advancement
all Americans in Samoa assure us is but a
pretense. If there has been insult and in
jury, it has been in response to the aggres-
sions of the foreigner and the endeavor to
destroy the independence of the Island
Government. Moreover, the Samoans
are to be heard upon this matter,
since they have counter claim
that will more than Offset that
Of Germany. Their lawful head was
seized and deported, the Government
placed under the control of a pretender
the native authorities displaced, impris-
oned and cruelty treated, their lands seized
and their country plunged into a fatricidal
war through the intrigues of the official
representatives of the German Govern
ment. The people of a Republic, recog-
nizlng the right Of the governed to choose
the form of government to which they
will submit, cannot view with compla-
cency the effort of monarchy to dictate
to an Independent people the character of
the government rule to which they shall
acknowledge allegiance. The question of
the establishment Of new system of gov
eminent for the Samoan group is treated
IN the instructions and left largely to the
Judgment of the Commissioners course
1t must involve the consent of the Samo-
ans to any plan Of reorganization sug-
gested 1t is not thinkable that the United
States will be party to any scheme to
force upon that people any system that is
obnoxious to them. 1t will be seen that
the Commission has no light task before
it, and that its labors are very likely to be
extended and vexatious.