The Portland daily press., 1889-05-20
SETTLING THE AFFAIRS OF SAMOA.
The Work Of the Conference APP
preaching Its Termination.
Berlin Papors Complaining OF the
Success Of the Americans.
The Germans Greatly Interested In
the Americans and Their Darkey.

BERLIN, May 1s.-The fourth session of
the Samoan Conference, which was held yes
terday, took place in the small room Of the
department of foreign affairs, in which the
other three meetings have been held. The
department is furnished with extreme sim
plicity. There is space for little beside a
long table, at which the commissioners sit.
The meeting was called to order shortly
after o'clock by Count Herbert Bismarck,
who presides at all the meetings in accord
ance with the established custom that the
highest representative Of the government of
the country in which a conference is held
shall preside. None Of the commissioners
were in uniform or court dress, but all wore
black frock coats.
The proceedings were almost entirely for
NAL. They consisted chiefly in listening to
the reports of the various subcommittee
which have been holding daily sessions ever
since the conference met. At these meetings
the real work of the conference has been
transacted, and as nearly as can be learned
the American commissio ners have succeeded
in carrying every important point they set
out to obtain. Indeed, so prevalent is this
feeling in Berlin that the Berlin press and
other influential papers in Germany COM
plain of the success of the Americans.
While the greatest secrecy in regard to the
proceedings is maintained, and, heretofore,
nothing much beyond the fact that the meet
ings had been held was known, it can now
be stated that excepting the question OF in
demnity for German sailors killed and be-
headed by the Samoans and one or two other
minor points the work of the commission is
over
1t is thought that the restoration Of MaIie-
toa to power is assured, and that the plan for
a tripartite government in Samoa, for which
the American commissioners contested,
against the German plan for one representa-
tive selected by the three powers, will surely
be put into effect 1t is also more than like
ly that the commission has decided In favor
OF the absolute independence of Samoa as
soon as the people there demonstrate their
ability to go alone. The indemnity question
is yet to come up. 1t may prolong the meet
ingss OF the conference some weeks, but this
is believed to be the only point on which
there Is likely to be serious contest The
question of K.ein's connection with the af-
fair in which the German sailors were killed
has never come up. nor Is there any likeli-
hood Of its doing SO. Neither will the COM
mission hear testimony of any kind. Dur
ing the past meetings Of the conference and
the committees the only points of difference
have been between the German and Ameri-
can commissioners, the attitude of the En-
glish members being neutral. Their infiu-
ence has generally been cast with view Of
settling the question as expeditiously as pos
sible. They have, however, been strongly in
favor of having Protestant for King Of Sa-
moa, which Is thought to indicate their pref
erenee for Malietoa, who was trained in an
English Protestant college.
The most important work Of the confer
ence has been done by what is known as the
working committee, consisting of Dr. Kranel
Assistant Secretary Of State for Germany.
and Messrs. Scott and Bates, and to which
Messrs. Grove and Phelps were added as
advisers, the first named on account of his
long experience in British commercial
affairs, and the latter because of his long ex-
perience in America with the tariff and of
his experience in establishing government
out of the discordant elements in Louisiana.
The duty of this committee has been the
preparation Of material for the general con-
ference In this class was a plan to settle
disputes concerning land titles in Samoa.
The German, French and American inhabi-
tantS OF Samoa have been acquiring land so
fast in Apia that little remains for the ma
tives, and it Is claimed that their titles in
many cases are doubtful, as the land was
given to them by irresponsible natives.in ex-
change for liquor and trifles; This commit
tee was also intrusted with the work of set
tling the form of the government at Apla. 1t
is rumored that the plan agreed on is that
America, Germany and England shall each
appoint representative, and that three
more members of board of control shall be
chosen by the rate payers. No liquor shall
be sold to natives, although foreigners can
have such stores as they choose in their pri-
vate houses. Firearms are only to be sold to
the government, and then only under certain
restrictions which prevent their use except
for keeping the peace. A plan for giving
the Samoans revenue has also been de-
vised, which provides for the re-estabish-
ment OF their right to impose import and ex-
port duties, which right is taken from them
by the existing Samoan treaty. 1t is under
stood that the representatives of the three
governments have expressed confidence Of
being able to obtain from their governments
this concession to help the Samoans.