The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-31
SAMOAN COMMISSION.
Report Of the Representatives Of
the Three Governments.
THE KINGS Permanently OUsTED

The Commissioners Declare the Ofnco
Useless aud Dangerous Power 20 he
Delegated TO an Am mbassador Selected
| From some Disintercsted Power.
San Francisco. July SL-The Call
publishes the report Of the tri-partite
commission sent to Samoa. making
various recommendations regarding the
new form Of government decided upon
by them as most suitable for the ISL
anders. These resolutions are based
upon the best features OF the Berlin
treaty and include the principal feat
ures of the proposed new treaty as
amended and modified by the commits
sioners. The official report OF the COM
missioners and the draft Of the pro-
posed amended treaty are said to be
now on the way to the respective gov
ernments.
The report is signed by Commission
ers Bartlett Trip, for the United
States, G. N. Elliott, for Great Britain,
and II. Sternberg, for Germany, and
is In substance as follows:
We have temporarily abolished the
klngship and recommended that 1t be
permanently abolished. The action
which we have taken in the matter
does not appear TO have aroused any
hostile feeling 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
breasts OF every Samoan. But even the
chiefs have acquiesoed in the change;
] - 10 fv,,pnrfonf hnUn
stated that they think 1t Is for the
good of Samoa, and we believe that the
population. unless worked on by eX-
traneous influences (Which is unhap-
PLY not impossible), will assent to the
abolition without murmur and with
out regret.
It seems impossible to say OF the
: office any good whatever. 1t is com
paratively modern as an institution.
1t served no useful purpose. In recent
years. at any rate, the king had no
authority or practical power to even
collect taxes beyond the limits Of the
municipality and within those limits
his authority was superfuous. The
greater part of the population was to
all intents and purposes in permanent
rebellion against him, and the mere
fact that orders were issued through
him was liable to provoke disobedi-
ence in many districts. Further, II
seemed impossible TO devise any plan
by which an undisputed or even peace
full succession can be secured.
In the place of the kingship we pro-
pose to create a system of native gov
ernment analogous to that which
works successfully in Fiji The ISL
ands will be divided into certain ad-
ministrative districts corresponding
as nearly as possible with those recog-
nized by Samoan usage), for each oi
which a chief will be responsible, and
these chiefs will meet annually at g
= place in a native council to discuss
! such matters as interest them, and
make recommendations to the admin
, istrator and council. Native courts
l will be allowed to punish minor crime:
2 according to native laws and customs
O and every provision has been made t
: secure to the Samoan population com
plete independence and self govern
S ment. We fear, however, that thu
!. same causes which produced riva
i kings will long continue to produces
rival chiefs who will claim the pos
> Of the provincial government and ere
ate continued dissension.
Perhaps the evils which II is leas
easy to cure are those which arise from
the rivalry and mutual hostility Of thu
different nationallties. This hostility
permeates all departments Of life. w,
II propose to introduce an element o
n unity and Capitalization into the gov
ernment by the appointment Of an ad
ministrator, who will doubtless b.
chosen from some disinterested power
He will be assisted by a council o
delegates from the three governments
who might exercise such consula
functions as are necessary in Samoa
We propose TO give this administrato
a large measure of authority, which
II exercised by Just and capable man
should enable him to put an end t
many disputes.
We propose that the administrato
and the three delegates should forr
: a legislative council, and we have in
troduced into the act several clause
giving them power to modify existin
ordinances.
We are of the opinion that the orig
inal act of Berlin was drafted and ha
been construed in too rigid a manner
and that greater elasticity in It's pre-
visions would have a beneficial effec
We have, therefore, empowered tn
council TO make SuCn dlJerdJlOnS as
may think fit in the boundaries of dis
tricts, the details of native governmer
and other matters enumerated in tn
proposed act.
We hope to create a greater hal
mony among the white residents
abolishing consular Jurisdiction. w
believe that in other parts of the worl
such jurisdiction prevails only wher
the laws of country are, for religion
or other reasons, not suitable for al
plication to foreigners.
We believe that by abolishing tn
outward sign of separate national II
stitutions and by submitting all nf
tionallties to one court and one law,
great advance will be made In the
rection of removing petty rivalries an
jealousies and restoring good relation
between the various white colonies.
The third class of evils arises frol
the lawlessness now prevailing in 81
moa outside the municipality FL
. many years there has been no law
To these districts, and native institution
permitted chiefs to commit crimes wit
impunity. eW hope to improve tn
state Of things by giving the chief ju
av nu tice an enlarged jurisdiction over a
~ these islands so as to include all cas-
of between natives and foreigners as we
is as the lower grades of crimes con
ns mitted by natives against each othe
IA, Fourthly, we have felt It our du
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