The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-08
GAVE UP THEIR GUNS
Commissioners Had No Trouble Dis
arming the SamOanS.
WILL BE COMPENSATED
LITTLE TROUBLE NOW FEARED
IN THE ISLANDS.
Bartlett Trip Says Some of the Ma
tive Chiefs Would Rank with
the Orators of Any Country
Chief Justice Chambers Will Re
sign-New Form of Government.

Ch1et Justice Cham berS Will Re
sign-New Form of Government.
Chicago. Aug. IA special to the
Tribune from San Francisco saws:
Bartlett Trip and Baron Sternberg
the American and German members OF
the Samoan commission, VINO arrived
in this city Saturday on the United
States steamer Badger, will leave for
Washington tonight. On board the
Badger are $500 rifles, which the COM
missioners took from the followers of
Mataafa and MalietOa Tanu. In speak
! ing about these arms, Mr.. Trip said:
THE commissioners, on their arrival
at Apia, May Is last, saw that the ma
tiveS would have TO be disarmed if
peace was to be restored, and they
placed in a position to accomplish any
thing definite. All the white people on
the islands, including the naval Of
| ficials and the missionaries, thought
disarmament was impossible. The COM
missioners made up their minds to
have ii done. Mataafa and his chiefs
were sounded on the subject. They
were told that the Malietoa Tanu peo-
! pie would be compelled to give up their
arms if they did so. Negotiations We're
carried on quietly, but in a determined
manner.
The Mataafa people wanted to know
| II they would receive pay for their
guns. We had no power to reimburse
them. We promised, however, that
after peace was established and We
returned home that they should be
compensated for their arms, or the
latter would be restored to them.
''On May 81 last the Mataafa people
surrendered to US 200 guns. General
surprise was expressed at this action.
The Malietoa Tanu faction a day later
surrendered their arms, the latter in
Guiding 700 rifles from the English man
of-war at Apia. The Mataafa people
soon came in with the remainder of
their weapons. The commissioners will
recommend that the natives be paid
for their guns.
New Form of Government.
Now, as to the form of government
the commissioners have decided upon,
we think we have accomplished some
thing definite. l cannot talk upon what
We have decided upon. Only three
copies of the proposed form of govern
ment are in existence. These IRE in the
possession of the three commissioners,
and are intended for their respective
governments. While in a general way
some of the features of this proposed
form of government are known, it is
not true that the document has been
given out for publication here or any
where else.
THE proposed government provides
Tor a white man as administrator of the
island-the governor general, in other
words. He will take the place of a Sa-
moan king. Much of the trouble in
the islands has been due to the fact
that the natives have always had an
elective instead of a hereditary king.
The natives realize that fact them
selves. Malietoa having resigned as
king, that troublesome proposition is
now at an end. By having a white adj
ministrator in supreme control it is the
hope of the commission that peace will
be permanent in the islands. There
also will be consular representatives
but their authority will be more cur
tailed than at present. The natives
will be allowed local self-Governmenr
The idea of the commissioners is to let
the natives govern themselves as far as
possible.
We believe that the government We
have recommended meets with general
approval on the part of the natives.
The three drafts or copies we have are
signed by thirteen Mataafa chiefs and I
a like number of Malietoa head men. I
Before drafting the scheme We visited 7
every district and island, save Manua. /
Some chiefs from the latter island were 4
seen. In all the districts meetings were [
held, where we exchanged views with 1
the natives. Many good suggestions I
were obtained in this way. Finally a
big council was held. On that occasion
$50 chiefs met us. There was an equal .
number from the Mataafa and MalietOa (
factions. 1t was a unique and pic
turesQue gathering.
Chiefs Are Fine Orators.
"Lauti, a Mataafa chief. read a
lengthy statement embodying his views
as to a form of government. 1t con-
tanned many points we had already de-
cided upon. This coincidence was not
strange. because of the fact that we
had previously exchanged views with
the natives as to what was best for
them. 1t was the day following this
meeting that twenty-siX chiefs, thir-
-een from each faction, signed our three
traits of the proposed government
The plan will have to be ratified by the
-hree governments before it is enforced
''Chief Lauti is d fine orator He
would rank as an orator in any coun-
ry. Chief Fati of the Malietoa fol-
owing is also an able speaker. Chiefs
-emanu and Wou can also be placed in
he same category. When Chief Lee
manu- babe us goodbye he remarked:
You are not going back home to
make fools of yourselves He ex-
blamed his somewhat singular remark
~ saying: You win tell your people
hat you made peace at Samoa. We
10 not want to disappOint you. We
will keep peace Chief Lemanu be-
ongs to the Mataafa following"
Mr.. Trip admitted that Chief Jus !
ice Chambers had returned to this
ountry with the intention of resign
ng. He denied that there had been
ny friction between Chief Justice
'hambers and the commission and in ,
listed that all along there has been ,
he utmost good feeling. He did not
now at what effect the resignation
lould have.
Yes" Commissioner Trip went on,
we prepared a confidential report re- '
arding the fight at Samoa last spring. l
cannot discuss the character of mine I
or even intimate whom / think re- |
ponSible for the unfortunate loss of /
fe. Considerable damage resulted S
rom the bombardment. and claims ag- I
regating 100000 are being prepared
he commissioners had no authority il, /
nat matter" I
Start For Washington. e
San Francisco, Cal, Aug. THE !