The record-union., 1899-12-06
SAMOAN ISLANDS.
Events Which Have Transpired the
Past Year.

important events have occurred in
the Samoan Islands The selection, ac-
cording to laws and customs of Samoa.
OF "a successor to the late King NIalie-
toa Laupepa developed a contest as to
the validity of the result, which issue.
by the terms of the general act vas
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 in
prevention of American and British
warships became imperative to restore
order, at the cost of sanguinary en-
counters.
In this emergency joint commission
of representatives of the United States,
Germany and Great Britain was sent
to Samoa to investigate the situation
and provide a temporary remedy BY
its active efforts a peaceful solution
was reached for the time being, the
Kingship being abolished and a pro-
visional Government established Rec
concentrations unanimously made by
the commission for a permanent adj
justment of the Samoan question were
taken under consideration by the thred
Powers, parties to the general act. But
! evident it became that radical change
was necessary in the relations of the
Powers to Samoa.
The inconvenience and possible perils
of the tripartite scheme of supervision
and control in the Samoan group by
Powers having little interest in COM
mon in that quarter beyond CONNER
cial rivalry has been once more empha
Gin
gested remedy of the joint commits
sion, like the scheme it aimed 10 re-
place, amounted to what has been
styled a tri-dominium, being the eXer-
else of the functions of sovereignty by
a unanimous agreement of three
Powers. The situation had become
more intricate and embarrassing from
every point of view than it was when
my predecessor in 1894 summed up it's
perplexities and condemned the parti-
cipation in it of the United States.
The arrangement under which Sa-
moa was administered had proved I'M
practicable and unacceptable to all the
Powers concerned. To withdraw from
the agreement and abandon 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 &C.
cupancy of which had been leased to
the United States in 1873 by the first
foreign treaty ever concluded by Samoa,
was not to be thought of, either as re-
CARDS the needs of our navy. or the
interests of our growing commerce with
the Far East We could not have con-
sidered any proposition for the abroga-
ton 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 ar
rangement was concluded between the
Governments of Germany and of Eng
land, by virtue of which England re-
tired from Samoa, in view of compen-
sations in other directions, and both
Powers renowned in favor of the
United States all their rights and
claims over and in respect to that por-
ton of the group lying to the east CT
the Hist degree of west longitude, en-
bracing the Islands of Tuituila, Ofoo,
Olosenga and Manua.
1 transmit to the Senate for it's con-
stitutional action thereon convention
which, besides the provisions above
mentioned, also grants us the same
privileges and conditions in respect to
commerce and commercial vessels in all
of the islands of Samoa as those pos
sessed by Germany.
Claims have been preferred by white
residents of Samoa on account of in
juries alleged to have been suffered
ments in putting down the late disturb
ances. A convention has been made
between the three Powers for the in
vestigation and settlement of these
claims by a neutral arbitrator, to which
the attention of the Senate will be in
vited.