Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-23
AFFAIRS OF STATE.
Terms OF the Samoan Treaty
Published.
AMERICAN IDEAS ARE ADOPTED
Ex-President Cleveland Submits te
an Interview-Congressional
Proceedings.
Associated Press Dispatches to the Hra.1,

Proceedings.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, January 22.-The Senate
today in secret session resolved to make
public the Samoan treaty negotiated in
Berlin last spring. Secretary Blaines
letter to the President, accom- panying
the treaty, is very long. He speaks Of
the instructions given to the Commits
sioners, saying they were told the United
States desired a speedy and amicable set
tlement of the Samoan question; that ii
maintained its full equality of right in
the disposition of these questions, but
was influenced as much by an anxious
desire to secure to the people of Samoa
the conditions of healthy, prosperous
and civilized life, and was bound to pra.
tect the interests of its own citizens, and
that the President hoped and believed
the result of the consultation would 90
to prove that it was not the wish of any
one of these Governments to subordinate
the rights of the Samoans to the exigen.
cies OF grasping commerce or political
ambition of territorial extension On the
part of any of the treaty powers.
The Commissioners were also in.
structed that the conference was not to
be regarded as a continuation OF the
former conference on q new basis, inas.
much as the United States could not ad.
NIT that the conditions had been changed
by any subsequent occurrence in the
South Pacific. The subjects as to which
the Commissioners were instructed were
under FIVE heads:
First-They were directed to ask The
restoration of the status quo, in order to
remove the disturbance caused by the
forcible Intervention of Germany, and
the deportation of Maletoa. This was
not to be, however, an ultimatum which
would lose the conference.
Second-The organization of q stable
government system for the islands,
whereby the native independence and
autonomy should be preserved, free from
the control or prepondatoripg Influence o
any foreign government.
Tnird-The adjustment of land claims
Fourth-The prohibition of the sale oI
firearms and alcoholic liquors.
Fifth-The question of the municipal
administration Of Apia as foreign set.
tlement under due reservation of extra
territorial rights.
The Secretary says: "The protocols
of several sessions, herewith submitted
show the discussion which took place or
each of these important heads, and indi
cate the successive stages by which the
views of the three governments thereon
came into harmony. The result
is in the main entirely ir
accord with the instructions un.
der which the American plenipotentiary
voted. 1t is proper to observe that the
matters in respect to which agreement
seemed most difficult were the restora.
ton of the status quo, the formation of 8
stable government without the prepon
derance of influence on the part of, any
OF the treaty powers, and the raising o
revenue for the maintenance of that gov
eminent. AS to the fret of these points
the chief obstacle to the unqualified
renewal of the status was found in the
reluctance of Germany to admit such 9
situation as would appear to leave
Mataafa against whom she had declared
war; eligible for the free choice of the
natives as King. 1t is confidently be-
lieved that the final accord removes these
difficulties, and the Samoans themselves
in the exercise of the freedom which they
are to continue to enjoy, appear to have
effected practical solution of the mat
ter. On the second point, the danger
of q preponderating influence on the
part of any one of the three powers il
obv1ated by taking the chief foreign ad
wiser and judge from neutral nation
The revenue question has been adjusted
with due regard to the limited resources
of the natives and the obligations of the
three powers to share in the burden
which, by the force of circumstances, il
has been necessary to impose in the pro.
lection of their common interests and
for the maintenance of peace and order. >
In conclusion the Secretary expresses
the hope that the act may be conducive
to the good government of Samoa under
native authority, and to the lasting set
tlement of the questions which have agi
tated the three powers and their complex
relations to these islands.