The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-07-31
FOR GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA
THE FULL REPORT OF THE 1RI-
 P4RTITE COMMISSION.

 Form of Governme Upon Best Features of Berlin Treaty and
 Include the Principal Features of the
 Proposed New Treaty-COnditions in
 SamOm.
 San Francisco, July 30.-The Call
 publishes the report of the tri-partite
 commission sent to Samoa, making va
 rious recommendations regarding the
 new form of government decided upon
 by them as most suitable for the island
 CTS. These resolutions are based upon
 the best fea atures of the Berlin treaty and include the principal features of the proposed new treaty as amended and modified by the commissioners. The official report of the commissioners and the draft of the proposed amended treaty are said to be now on the way to the respective governments. The reso- lutions of the commissioners are as fol- lows:
 We have the honor to submit herewith to the consideration of our three gov ernments the inclosed draft Of a modi- fled and amended version of the act of Berlin In preparing these notifications and amendments our method has been to consider first what are the evils -l,j tYni in Samoa and the general conditions of the islands and secondly, which are the measures most likely to remove or minimize those evils.
 The chief evils may be grouped under four heads: First those which appear to inevitably attend the election of king in Samoa and his subsequent effort to exert his authority.
 Second, those which are due to the ri- valry of foreign nations between them selves and to their disposition to take sides in the native politics and thus in- crease the importance and bitterness of disputes which arise.
 Third, third class of evils have their origin in the fact that for many years there has been no law or government in Samoa other than native customs out side the limits of the municipality Murder and other serious crimes have remained unpunished when committed by persons of rank and the supreme court and the nominal government of Mulinuu have been equally powerlees to exert any force.
 Fourth, the insufficient enforcement of the customs. regulations has allowed interruptions traitors to distribute large numbers of arms among a native population rent by political factions and ready to fight both one another and Eu- ropeans.
 To meet the first of these evils we have temporarily abolished the king ship and recommended that 1t be per manently abolished. The action which we have taken in the matter does not appear to have aroused any hostile feel ing among the natives.
 No doubt many great chiefs regret that they will no longer have an oppor- tunity of gratifying their ambitions and indulging that passion for rank and ceremony which is innate in the breast of every Samoan.
 But even the chiefs have acquiesced in the change; some of the most import ant have stated that they think it is for the good of Samoa and We believe tha the population, unless worked on by ex- traneous influences (which is unhappi- ly not impossible) will assent to the abo- htlon without murmur and without regret.
 It seems impossible to say of the of- flee any good whatever. It is compara- lively modern as an institution. If served no useful purpose In recent years, at any rate, the king had no or practical power to even collect taxes beyond the limits of the and within those limits his authority is superhuous
 The greater part of the population was to all intents and purposes In per- rebellion against him and the mere fact that orders were issued through him was liable to provoke dis obedience in many districts
 Further it seemed impossible to de" wise any plan by which an undisputed pr even peaceful succession can be sa- cured The kingship depends on the grant of certain titles by certain per sons. They are ill the gift not of the whole population, but of small bodies of electors who owe their position to their rank. Even among these electors ] he principle that the majority of the vote bestows the title is not accepted md he gst of all the laws and customs If Samoa is that there is nothing to prevent two candidates from being duly | elected king at the same time.
 Perhaps the evils which it is least | asy to cure are the second class, those | which arise from the rivalry and mutual hostility of the different nationalities. 'his hostility permeates all departments f life The traders on one side com ,ine against those on the other. The council is divided into two ,arties, each determined to support it's wn programme and defeat that of the ther
 Proposed reforms and measures are judged not on their merits, but by par V cousiderat tions, and officials, however impartial they may wish to be, are con- idered to belong to one side or the oth- r. according to thei. nationality, and 1evitably end by becoming more or less artisans.
 From the very commencement of the ate contest for the kingship it was no 1ore than a native quarrel between Iataafa and Tanu. On the one side yere ranged one nationality and it's off,