The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-17
Samoa Languishes Under the
international Agreement.
THERE is TOO MUCH RED TAPE.
How the Kings Salary Is Dolei Ont
10 Him by Foreigners.
The Faftacy of This Kfndergarfen
of Dfplomacy-sbfps of War
Guarding the Coast While the
Interior In Absolutely Lawie..-
ling Report.

washington City. Aug. 1S-Consui Gem
erzl James II. MIiigan az Apta, samoa
has made a vo!uminoas report 20 the state
department. upon the condition OF the Isl
ands A portion OF the report il devoted
20 review % the governments OE the 81
ands by the United States, Great Britain
and Germany. under the Ber.ia treaty
This treaty. Mr.. M3ilIgan concludes, was
4 mistake, and 10 maintain L is 20 per
sist Ia a mistake
The present status he says. as an
injustice 10 the people OF the United
states AID grave wrong 70 the people
Of Samoa II II be said tha. the treaty,
50 far as It concerns Samoa. has made
matters no worse, Il can Be claimed with
equal truth that Ii has failed TO make
them better in any particular. The ad-
mission OF either postulate is 10 confess
a failure
AS 10 the present government of sa-
mOa he says:
"A recognized and reignlng king Is de-
pendent for his support on the voluntary
contrioutions-the charity in fact-of that
portion OF his family or tribe VINO adhere
20 him. while foreign officers Of bis gov
eminent enjoy salaries from his revenue
far IN excess Of the value OF the services
performed. When pittsnes OF ms NOM
inaI salary. long in arrears. IS doled out
to him. II comes through the hands of a
foreign official, who exercises his pleas
Gre TO 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 forth along the
beaches. A struggling village within and
part OF the kingdom, leviss import and
export duties on every dollars worth OF
merchandise brought into or shipped out
OF the kingdom. lending out OF IT'S rev.
enues 10 the kingdom barely enough TO
pay the most meager expenses and the
salaries OF foreign officials.
"Al the machinery of the government
perhaps IL is not too much to say OF
several goveTuments-is in active opera
tion within the precincts of this little
town. The guns OF great men-of-war.
year in and year out. frown ominously
upon this shore in support Of the gov
ernment and the law which does not ex-
iss within their effective ranges, and yet
an offender within half dozen miles OF
the seat OF 50 many authorities deiies the
processes OF the court and reb1ffs the
power OF the inyalidated government. IN
the midst OF al. white clad messengers
OF crown and consul fit to and fro along
the blazing beach, the bearers OF impos-
ing envelopes, IN which are covared the
stately communications that round out
tha measures OF time in this klndergar-
ten Of diplomacy.
I'm the meantime, no clearing IS made
no plantation Is extended. The country
which. at best. under It's many disadvan-
tages needs all the stimulus OF peace, all
the security that government can assure,
yisIbiy languishes. There Is no immigra-
tion. no influx OF capital or suggestion
OF enterprise. All wait for that unde-
aned something-that change which is TO
come: wait as they have waited for thirty
years: wait for the ahrogation of the
treaty. as they and their fathers waited
fer It's coming"
only a small part of the islands. he
says are under control OF this govern
ment. back from the shore and IN the
town the people do as they please
The treaty, made by three govern
ments for the government of a fourth. Is
not considered success. The different
forms OF government sought TO be brought
together are trrecoacrsbie. There Is TOO
much friction. 1t is said that before any
step can be taken that three representa-
tives must unite: then oftentimes refer
ence must be made 10 powers on the other
side of the globe. There Is a diversity OF
opinion. a conflict of interest and clash
af rights