The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-09

I WIWIl0W STaLEWFWJs
brought to the attention of Capt l.eary ana Mr..
| Blackjack and their reply will be communi-
! Gated Much allowance must be made Tor the
| excitement prevailing in samoa, whl:u II nov nov
| favorable to accuracy or moderation OF sIaOe'
ment especially OF those concerned as actors
| The gist of the "protocals" of the confer
| ence Of 1887 has become known indirectly
| in numerous publications whlcn have been
| made since Samoa has become i've issue
in international politics..
THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
The protocol Of the first conference at
which was present Secretary Bayard, Mr..
! Alveuslebe1 and Sir L onel West contains
The propositions of tue three diplomats as
| to the form OF government that should be
| provided for Samoa The German repre-
sentative set forth that King
| Malietoa having notoriously Vlo-
| ated his treaty rights with Germany
| and having but a small minority OF toll1W
| ers among the natives, and Iamasese nav
| ing the support of great majority, The
| election of a new king must take place.
| Then in order to secure peace aud order IN
| the island foreign representa- I've should
| be appointed as an adviser to the king and
| to act as the mandatory of the three treaty
powers. He also sugge'ted a renewal OF
| the principle of absolute equality OF the
| three powers on the islands.
| BAYARD'S SUGGESTION.
|
| constitutional government for Samoa with
| a native legislature, securing its lndepend-
| ence and autonomy in an acknowledgment
| Of Malietoa as king and Tamasese as vice
| king.
| TIE English government, through Sir
Lionel West, suggested an agreement
among the treaty powers that one or them
should as the mandatory of the other, &C
as adviser of the Samoan government, and
in view of the preponderance of German in
| terests theve was willing to let Germany
have the first term OF five years. England
agrees with Germany in acknowledging the
necessitv for the election Of a new king
All the representatives proposed the
| organization of a land court or committee
| to settle the question of title. No discussion
occurred at this conference.
THE SECOND MEETING.
At the second meeting Secretary Bayard
| opened the proceedings by stating that he
| understood that all agreed upon the follow
| ing points: That there should be no annex
| alton of the islands by any treaty power :;
that the independence and autonomy Of the
| islands were to be preserved with equality OF
| rights of commerce AID navigation for
citizens or subjects of the treaty powers :;
that native government was to be estab-
| lished and assist ed to maintain itself; that
| the present jurisdiction of the consulS over
| their own countrymen should be preserved /;
| that the present treaty be maintained so
far as the rights of the three powers are
| concerned; that means of raising revenue
for tho support of the government
be devised, and that the question
| OF taxing foreigners be considered
that import and tonnage dues be established
| By identical treaties between tne three pow
ers and the Samoan government; that land
| courts should be formed to settle the titles
and holding Of land in the group.
GETTING DOWN TO DETAILS.
Secretary Bayard further said that while
it had been agreed that the native govern
ment should be established and as
sisted to maintain itself, powers
we're not agreed as to its details.
Great Britain and Germany proposed
that there should be only a king and
council of chiefs. The United States sug-
gested a king, council Of chiefs and
legislative assembly composed of rep
resentatives elected by the people of
the islands. Then followed lJng discus
sion of the details of the government to be
created Secretary Bayard consented to a
new election but insisted that it should be
native election free and unawed
that the customs of the Samoans should
prev Ill in it and the result of the election
be announced to and declared by the three
consuls, who should not otherwise partici-
pate in the proceedings. Minister West
but he Joined with Count Alveusben in
opposing Secretary Bayard's suggestion
that Malietoa should remain king IN case of
the failure of the election of another in his
place.
APPROVED BY THE POWERS.
Count Alvensben also inquired whether
the newly elected king should be not APP
proved by the powers, to which Secretary
Bavard replied in the negative, insisting
,,7ust ha fraa elaCtJOO Count
Alvensben then read a formal statement of
the position of his government in which be
says, there is only one course: 70
placs one foreign officer at
the head of the administration, to invest
him with sufficient powers to take the meas
ures required for the maintenance OF peace
aud order as well as for the prosperous de-
velopm snt of commerce and othor interests.
1t would appear that the power having to
protect the largest interests n Samoa should
be given the right TO nominate this official.
That Germany was the power having the
largest interest was questioned by nobody.
IGNORING INDEPENDENCE.
Secretary Bayard said it seemed to
him that this reasoning forgot en-
tirely the principle upon which they
were proceeding, that IS, the
native government was TO preserve its own
existence. The idea Of the United states
was that there should be an equality of
rights between the powers. Count Won
Alvensben said that was not intended.
The third protocol is devoted mainly TO
discussion of the native leg stature and land
court. At the close Minister West cad a
paper in support OF a mandatory scheme,
declaring that it did uot involve recog
of any prep)nderating interests and quot
ing tho q srman and British governments
as asserting that there should Oe an equality
and that tie British government was will
ing that German representative shou d
act as the mandatory Of the other two
powers for the first term of five years.
) ALTERNATE CONTROL.
The fourth protocol reveals discussion
Of the meaning to be attached TO the
phrase alternate CONTROL Secre-
tary Bayard said he had not
the slightest desire to exercise any pre-
pondersnca over Germany and Great
britain. but he did desire 70 see the native
influence upheld by the three powers equally
and for common purpose. de
desired also ~ refer 20 the importance OF
the practical naturalization Of the islands.
The fifth protocol Is made up OF con
, tinuation of the discussion upon the leglsla-
, ture and land questions
The DAYS proceedings closed by STATE,
. nent from Secretary Bayari that he would
undertake to prove that the German pian
, would result in an inequality which would
grow larger. The British representative