The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-17
Samoa to Go Backward
Under the Conditions.
The King Depends on Charity.
Voluntary Contributions.
Uncle Sam Has Been WrOnged Under
Berlin Agreement.

New York, Aug. 17.-Consul General
James II. Mulligan, at Apia, Samoa, has
made a voluminous report to the state
department. on the conditions Of the ISL
ands. A portion OF the report is devoted
To a review OF the government of the
Islands by the United States, Great Bril-
tain and Germany. under the Berlin
treaty. This treaty. Mr.. Mulligan con-
cludes. was mistake, and to maintain
IL is TO persist In mistake. THE pres
ent status he says, lis an injustice to
the people OF the United States and a
grave wrong to those of Samoa. II IL b,
said that the treaty, so far as IL con-
Germs Samoa, has made matters no
worse, 1t can be claimed with equal
truth that IL has failed to make them
better In any particular. The admis-
Eion of eitlsAr postulate Is to confess q
failure"
AS TO the present government OF
Samoa, he says: "A recognized and
reigning king is dependent for his sup
port on the voluntary contributions-the
charity, I'm fact--of that portion of his
family or tribe who adhere to him. while
foreign officers Of his government enjoy
salaries from his revenues far In excess
of the value of services performed.
When a pittance OF his nominal salary,
long In arrears, is dealt out TO him. IL
comes through the hands Of a foreign
official, who exercises his pleasure to pay
or withhold his lawful wife Is in no
sense queen, nor more entitled to consid-
Grafton than the half-clad women who
file back and forth along the beaches.
A observation-disclosures within and part
OF the Kingdom, levies import and ex-
port duties on every dollars worth OF
merchandise brought into or shipped
out of the kingdom, lending out OF its
revenues to the kingdom barely enough
TO pay the most meagre expenses and
the salaries OF foreign officials.
"All the machinery OF government
perhaps IL is not too much TO say Of sew
eral governments-is In active operation
within the precincts of this little town.
The guns OF great men-of-war, year in
end year out, frown ominously upon the
shores In support of the governments and
the law, which does not exist within n
few miles of their effective range, de-
fes the processes OF the court and re-
huffs the power of the invalidated gov
ernment. In the midst of all this. white
clad messengers OF crown and consul
fit to and fro along the blazing beach,
the bearers of imposing envelopes, in
which are covered the stately communi-
cations that round out the measures of
time In this kindergarten of diplomacy.
I'm the meantime no clearing is made,
no plantation is extended The country.
which at best under its many disadvan-
tages. needs all the stimulus OF peace,
all the security that government can as
sure, visibly languishes. There Is no
immigration, influx of capital, or sug-
gestion OF enterprise. All wait for that
underlined somethng--that change which
is TO come; wait as they have waited fors
20 years; wait for the abrogation Of the
treaty, as they and their fathers waited
for its coming"
Only a small part OF the islands. he
says. are under control of this govern
ment Back from the shore and the
town, the people do as they please.
The treaty. made by three govern
ments for the government of third, Is
not considered n success. Three differ
ent forms OF governments. which ought
to be brought together. have been irrec-
ouciable. There is too much friction.
II is said that before any step can be
taken the three representatives must
unite. Then oftentimes reference must
be made to powers on the other side of
the globe. There is a diversity of opin-
lon, a conflict Of interests and a clash Of
r:ghta