Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-23
AMERICA AND SAMOA.

Now that the crs,i3n Of Page pbg1
hafbor 10 thoUni,ed States f. finally ac.
complishoi, the most ardent advocates
OF this governments taking "A hand iu
the control Of islanla Ia tho Pacific
Ocean probably viii conclude that the
territorial limit of extension u about
reached, anu that efforts hereafter
should be directed to tho field cir.
cumsctibol by tho boundaries thus
lad out phgo Page, which almost
cuts Ia two this island 81 Tutuila, in
tho samoan group, 10 regarded AZ ono
OF the finest harbora ia the world. IL
has plenty Of deep water, without
dredging, 10 hpa, the combined uhyita
OF the world, and, being we'll rloi.
tered, u allris protection from ,ue
hurricanes which sweep over that part
Of the globe. Had tho fleets which
we're at Samoa been Ia Page pngo
Instead Of Apia harb5r, the disaster
which has made tho latter place fam.
Gus would not have occurred. In It's
location, Il is a. iar again from tho
United States w 10 Honolulu, being
two.thirds the distance to Australia.
10 iiin line north aud south with the
most westerly limit OF the mainland Of
Alaska, and east aud west IL lies
between southern Peru auI northern
Australia.
Tho negotiations for cooling lho hnr.
Dor 10 this country were completed by
W. L.. Chambers, u. g. land commits.
sloucr to Samoa, who has just returned
home The land question had become
NO Important that Germany, England
aud this o0uutry had TO unite lu
commission to settle II la order TO pro.
vent continual turmoil, as q result Of
disputed claims, betweoA cl,izrus Of
the three governments which might
Involve tho nations interested Ia strI.
Gus disputes. The aggregate OF these
claims which tho commission had
10 sO,tlo was 803s. These were tor over
5000, 900 acres Of land on the Samoan
group, the entire area ot which con.
fists OF but 100000 acres. The English
nsd tho creator portion OF the claims,
the Germans coming next and the
Americans last. Tho fret named had
more claims than both of the others
combined; Ia fact, every foot Of laud
was 6ougut to be- gobbloI from the
natives, aud numerous claims were
made Tor the same tract. The com.
mission, however cut right and Left
into those, giving tue natives prefer.
once an then adjusting the title Of tho
others. In thh way over 400, 900 acres
were awarded 90 the natives, tho rest
going Co tho foreign clement tho
Americans securing holargcst amount
iu proportion 90 thuIr claims
While the settlement OF these land
dispu,os viii 90 long way toward
the troubles which am ie.
Samoa and cause outbreaks against the
ruling powers, yet the Islands cannot
expect anything like permanent peace
until tao eys,en OF government lie
chauggl Asst ls now, the islands
are virtually ruled by Germany, Eng.
land aud tae United States, through
their oousus, who run Affairs rt-tty
much as they like. The government
ls settled uu one leland, Up1lu, aui tho
o,huf8 get little beurd. and know
nothing Of what 10 going on ia tho way
Of Improvements. About the ouIy
lhoy have OF the govern.
meut is tho visit OF the tax
collector who takus 81 Pc.
year for each man, woman and
child. This 10 CALLING to the natives,
who do not comprehend tho Justice of
lhe system, which yields them nl
benefit tina, they can SEQ, Tor the
money, 1t ia saiii goes mostly % pay
high salaries to "a foreign minister aud
chief justice, and other oflicialg. by
tho recent adjustment OF claims ami
tue celslon OF Page Pago, tho Amerl.