Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-06
SETTLE SAMOAN QUESTION
United states Secures the Best Hnrbor
In the Pacific MS Its
Share.

Important events have occurred in the
Samoan islands The election, according to
the laws and customs Of Samoa, of a sue
cessor to the late King Malietoa Baupepa
developed contest as to the validity of the
result, which issue by the terms OF the
general act, was to be decided by the chief
justice. Upon his rendering a judgment in
favor of Malietoa Tanu, the rival chief,
Mataafa, took up arms. The active inter-
vcntion of American and British war ships
became Imperative to restore order, at the
cost OF sanguinary encounters. In this
emergency joint commission of representa-
tives OF the United States, Germany and
Great Britain was sent to Samoa to investi-
gate the situation and provide a temporary
remedy. BY its active efforts peaceful
solution was reached for the time being,
the kingship being abolished and provi-
sional government established Recommen-
dations unanimously made by the commits
sion for permanent adjustment of the
Samoan question were taken under consd-
Grafton by the three powers parties to the
general act. But the more they were ex-
amined the more evident 1t became that a
radical change was necessary in the rea-
tions of the powers to Samoa.
The inconvenience and possible perils of
the tripartite scheme OF supervision and
control in the Samoan group by powers hav
ing little interest in common in that quar-
ter beyond commercial rivalry has been once
more emphasized by the recent events. The
suggested remedy of the joint commission,
like the scheme it aimed to replace,
amounted Ito what has been styled a tri-
dominium, being the exercise of the func-
tions of sovereignty by an unanimous agree
ment of three powers The situation had
become far more intricate and embarrassing
from every point of view than it was when
my predecessor in 1894 summed UP its per-
plexities and condemned the participation in
it of the United States.
Dividing the Islands.
The arrangement under which Samoa was
administered had proved impracticable and
unacceptable to all the powers concerned.
To withdraw from the agreement and aban-
don the islands to Germany and Great
Britain would not be compatible with our
interests in the archipelago To relinquish
our rights in the harbor of Pago Pago, the
best anchorage in the Pacific, the occupancy
of which had been leased to the United
States in 1878 by the first foreign treaty
ever concluded by Samoa, was not to be
thought of either as regards the needs of
our navy or the interests of our growing
commerce with the east. We could not
have considered any proposition for the
abrogation of the tripartite control which
did not confirm US in all our rights and
safeguard all our national interests in the
islands.
Our views commended themselves to the
other powers. A satisfactory arrangement
was concluded between the governments of
Germany and of Great Britain by which we
retired from Samoa In view of compensa-
tions in other directions and both powers
renounced in favor of the United States all
their rights and claims over and in respect
to that portion of that tsgroup lying to the
cast of the 171st degree Of west longitude,
embracing the islands of Tutuia, Ofoo,
Olcsenga and Manua, l transmit to the
ate for its constitutional action thereon a
convention, which,. besides the provisions
above mentioned. also guarantees us the
same privileges and conditions in respect
to commerce and commercial vessels in all
OF the islands of Samoa as those possessed
by Germany
Claims have been preferred by white res
idents of Samoa on account of injuries al
legged to have been suffered through the acts
of the treaty governments in putting down
the late disturbances. A convention has
been made between the three powers for the
and settlement of these claims
by neutral arbitrator, to which the atten-
tion of the senate will be invited.