The morning times., 1896-08-17
SAMOAN TREATY 4. FARCE
Experiment Of Foreign Control
of the Island a Failure.
VIEWS OF MR.. MULLIGAN'S
State Department. Makes Public the
ex-cOnsul Generals Report-The
King Of the Country Often Goes
Begging for FoOd-Must Exist on
Charity-COst OF Living Is Great.

The State Department has resolved to
publish the report vi Mr.. James II. Multi
gan. ex-consul general to Samoa, upon
the government, Commerce, products, and
people OF that country, winch 1t has
hitherto held as confidential, and it will
appear in the August volume uf consular
reports now in press.
This report was submitted to the de-
partInent in September, 1885, when Mr.
NuIligan resigned his office, and was the
expression OF his views after years stay
in the country. 1t is Iegthy document,
comprising nearly one hundred printed
almost any point OF view Introducing the
subject, Mr.. Mulligan says:
The intervention of the United States
in Samoan affairs and destiny marked an
unprecedented. a unique epoch in her
history. 1t signalized a distinct, radical
departure from the policy which had grown
up with the government from its founda-
ton. 1t was the first, the only, occasion
upon which she ever bound herself to main
tain the existence Of any alien power,
great or small; the only lime when. throag gh
the solemn compact Of treaty to which
any other nation was a party, or in any
other form, she assumed a share in the
direction and control OF the internal ad-
ministration and foreign policy OF an alien
country.
AN OBJECT LESSON.
Samoa in its present situation prcsents
an object lesson to the American people
one that should lead to an extension OF the
policy OF participation in the governmental
concerns Of foreign countries and a closer
union with great powers to secure that
influence, If the experience here afforded
has been beneficial, or must exert great
influence to conduce to its abandonment. If
it is found to be impoItic; one that above
all commends itself TO the serious study OF
those who. in the future, are TO have the
immediate direction OF governmental af-
fairs in the United States"
He explains that one reason for making
the report was the receipt by him OF
large number OF letters of inquiry from per-
sons in the United States who. persuaded
by roseate and misleading reports ex-
press themselves as anxious to leave the
United States, with all its opportunities
and advantages. to make their home in
these islands. where they fatuitously SUP
pose a living can be had without cxertion
and large profits avail. the application of
ordinary industry or enterprise"
Asa matter of fact. tie says, the expense
of living in samoa is two or three times
as great as in the United States OF the
workings OF the government under the
treaty the writer says. .'The real merits
of the situation, hazed in conflicting re-
ports. biased by divergent interests, viewed
from widely separated standpoints, is not
to be clearly understood at a distance
This is n'icrocosm OF paradoxes to which
experience elsewhere offers no explana-
ton, furnishes no solution"
SOME PARADoXES.
Mr. Muiiiga sets forth as some OF these
paradoXcs that tie reorganized and reign
ing king is dependent for support on the
charity OF that portion OF his family or
tribe which adheres to him; that foreign
officers of his government enjoy salaries
from its revenues far in excess OF the value
of services rendered; that when pittaRce
of his nominal salary, long in arrears, is
doled Quito him 1T comes through the hands
of foreign official, who exercises lis
pleasure to ray or withhold: that a strag
Cling village, within and Part OF the king
dom, levies import and export duties on
every dollars worth ofinerchantii>e brought
into or shipped out of the Kingdom, lend
ing OF its revenues TO the kingdom barely
enough TO pay the most rn.sgre expenses
and the salaries Of foreign officials: that
upon one officer is imposed the duties of
treasurer of the municipality, treasurer
of the Kingdom, adviser to the king, pre-
siding officer and member of the munich
pal council. ma yor OF the town, and acting
chief justice of the supreme court in the
a bsence of the regular incumbent Speak
ing of the irregularity of payment of sala-
ries, Mr. MuIligan says:
Previous to the early part OF the pres
ent year the king had been paid nothing
Tor nearly two years. during which time
he sibsided on such gifts of taro, vans,
money or other voluntary contributions as
his kindred nd adherents might offer. He
was. in fact, pauper- l was told last
year by friend. one of the worlds most
names, now deceased, levi
IDENTIFY referring to the lamented author,
Robert Louis Stevenson. that he had q few
days before received a note from this
king pleading with him for a present OF, or
credit Tor. a little beef; that he was actually
hungry"
AN UTTER FAILURE.
Mr. MuIligan reaches the conciusion that
the Berlin treaty is an utter and unreiieved
failure and that without surrendering an
iota OF American prestige or right in the
islands. or failing in one iota to maintain
the rights OF the people. the United States
should put an end to an arrangement under
which a farce is perpetrated, from which
no credit ensueS.
Mr.. MuIiigan is convinced that SO far as
the United States is really concerned, the
entire government OF Samoa is centcred
in the harbor OF Pagopoys. The hareor has
not been ceded to the United States. he
says: it possesses only concession for
specific purpose. But he argues that II
should be maintained, that whatever
value. in a naval point OF view, Samoa
when the treaty of washington
was formulated, that Importance has since
been increased many times over
The report contains ab1niant Information
regarding Samoa and its interests. some
If the figures being rather surprising.
Its entire trade in 1894 amounted to less
than $3.50 .OcO: the total government and
revenue was less than $1,000,
OF which thirty-two Americans registered