Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-08-17

Washington. d. C.. August 16.-Con-
sui General James H. Mullgan. at
Apia, Samoa, has made a voluminous
report 10 rns State Department upon the
condition OF the islands. A portion Of
the report Is devoted to a review Of The
government Of the islands by the United
States, Great Britain and Germany, un-
der the Berlin treaty. This treaty, Mr..
Nullgan concludes. was a mistake and
10 maintain il is TO persist in a mistake.
The present status" he says. is an
injustice 10 toe people OF the United
States and a grave wrong 10 those of
Samoa. II it be said that the treaty, 50
lar as It concerns Samoa, has made mat
0ers no worse. IL can be claimed with
equal truth that it has failed TO make
them better
IN ANY PARTICULAR.
The admission Of either posulate is to
confess a failure"
As 70 the present government Of Sa-
mOa, De says:
A recognized and reignirg king is
dependent for his support On the vOlun-
tary cOntrbutiOns-tne charity. in fact
or that portion Of his family or tribe
who adhere to him, while foreign officers
or his government enjoy salaries from
MS revenues lar in excess Of the value
OF services performed. When a pit
tanoe OF his nominal salary, long in ar
Tears, is dOled on, 10 him, il comes
through The hands of a foreign official,
who exercises his pleasure 10 pay or
withhold; his lawful wife
IS IN NO SENSE QUEEN.
nor more entitled 10 consideration than
the half-clad women who file back and
torth along the beaches. a struggling
village, within and part Of the kingdom.
levies Import and export duties on eve
dollars worth Of merchandise brOug1l
into OF shipped out OF the kingdom.
lending out Of its revenues co the king
dom barely enough 20 pay the most
meagre expenses and tbs salaries Of for
eign officials.
All the machinery Of government
perhaps 10 IS nos too much 10 say OF
several gOvernmencS-is in active opera
fion within the precincts Of this little
town. The guns Of great men-Of-war,
year in and year out,
FROWN obviously
upon the shore in support of the govern /
meDt and the law. which does nOJ exist
except within their effective range; and
yet an offender within half a dozen
miles Of the seat Of so many authorities
d5fes the processes Of the court and
rnh Of an frrr q
eminent. In The m.ds, G.; all. white
clad messengers Of crown and consul
fit 90 end fro along the blazing beach /
the bearers Of imposing envelopes in I
which are covered the stately cOmmuni- /
cations that round out the measures Of I
time in this kindergarten of diplomacy /
In the meantime, no clearing Is made, ,
no plantation is extended. The country
which, az best, under It's many disad-
vaE,ages. needs all the stimulus Of
peace. all the security that government /
can assure,
VISIBLY LANGUISHES.
There is no immigration. influx OF cap
i,G'. or suggestion o. enterprise. All /
wait for that underlined something that /
change which is 10 come; wait as they
have waited for thirty years. wait for
HE aSrogation of the treaty, as they
and thelr fathers waited for its COM
ING"
only a small par. Of the Islands, he
says. are under control of this govern I
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 a fourth, IS
not considered q success. The different
forms OF government sought 10 De
brought together have been irreconcili- I
able. There is too much friction. IC I
is said that before any step can be /
kaken the three representative must /
unite: then cf,enyimes reference must /
be made 20 powers on the other side o' /
the globe. There is a diversity O.. op.n- /
son. a conflict Of interests and a clash |
OF rights.