The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-20
CONSUL GENERAL JAMES SENDS
A REPORT TO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
THE BERLIN TREATY WAS A mistake
The Government Of the Islands by Ger
many, Great Britain and Uncle Sam
is a Faiure-The King Depend
cnt Upon Charity.

! Washington. Aug. 1G.-Consul General
| James II. Mulligan at Apia. Samoa, has
made a voluminous report TO the state
department upon the condition of the
islands. \ portion Of the report is de-
voted to a review Of the government Of
the islands by the United States, Great
Britain and Germany under the Berlin
treaty. This treaty. Mr.. Mulligan con-
cludes, was a mistake and to maintain
it is TO persist in a mistake.
"The present status" he says, as an
injustice 10 the people Of the United
States and grave wrong to those OF Sa-
moa. If it be said that the treaty, 50
far as it concerns Samoa, has made mat
tiers no worse. it can be claimed with
equal truth that it has failed to make
them better in any particular. The add
mission of either postulate is to confess
failure"
As 10 the present government of Sa-
moa, he says:
"A recognized and reigning king is de-
pendent for his support on the voluntary
contributjon-tne charity, III fact-nf that
portion of his tribe vino adhere 10 him.
while foreign officers of his government
enjoy salaries from his revenues far in
excess of the value Of services performed.
When a pttance of his nominal salary.
long in arrears, is dOlcd out to him. il
comes through the hands Of foreign Of
fetal, who exercises his pleasure to pay
or withhold; his lawful wife is in no SENSE
queen or 40 more entitled to cOnsidcra-
ton than the women who file back and
forth along the beach. A struggling vii
lagc, within any part of the kingdom.
ievics import and export duties on every
dollars worth Of merchandise brought
into or shipped out Of the kingdom, lend
ing out its revenues to the kingdom. bare
~ enough to pay the most meagrc OK
pcnscs and the salaries Of foreign Of
tcials.
''All the machinery of government
perhaps it is not too much to say Of soy
cral govcrnmcnts-is in active operation
within the precincts of this little town.
The guns Of great men of war, year in
and year out, frOwn OminOusly upon the
shore in support of the fcigned law which
does not exist within their effective
ranges; and yet an offender within half
a dozen miles of the seat of so many au-
thOrities defes the processes of the court
and rebuifs the power of the invalid gov
eminent. In the midst of all, Whitehead
messengers OF crown and consul fit to
and fro along the blazing be. III, the
bearers of imposing envelopes, in which
are covered the stately communications
that round out the measures of time in
this kingdom Of diplomacy.
I'm the mean time no clearing is made.
no plantation is extended. The coun-
try which at best under its many disad-
vantagcs needs all the stimulus of peace.
all the security that government can as
sure. visibly languishes. There is no
immigration, influx of capital or suggcs-
ton Of enterprise All wait for the I'M
defined something change which is
to come; wait, as they have waited for
thirty years; wait for the abrOgation of
the treaty, as they and their fathers
waited for its coming"
Only small part of the island. he
said. is under control of its government.
Back from the shore and the town. the
peonle do rs they please. The treaty.
made by three governments for the gov
eminent Of a fourth, is not considered
success. The different forms of govern
mcnt sought to be brought together have
been irrcconcilable There is too much
friction. 1t is said that before any step
can be taken. the three representatives
must unite: then often times reference
must be made to powers on the other side
of the globe. There is diversity of
opinion, conflict of interests and Il clash
of rights.