The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-31
SAMOAN COMMISSION.
Report Of the Representatives Of
the Three Governments.
TIE KINGS Permanently oUsTID

! Useless and Dangerous--P Power to Be
Delegated TO an Am bassador Selected
From Some DISTINGUISHED Power.
San Francisco, July 31.-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 az 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
Bioners. The official report of the COM
missioners and the draft of the pro-
posed amended treaty are said to be
how 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 H. Sternberg, for Germany, and
is In substance as follows:
We have temporarily abolished the
kingship 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 INDUCING that passion for rank
and ceremony which is innate in the
breasts Of every Samoan. But even the
chiefs have acQuiesced in the change;
some Of the most important have
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.
1t 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 superhuous. 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, 1t
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 system of native gov
eminent analogous to that which
works successfully in Fiji. The ISL
ands will be divided into certain adj
ministrative districts corresponding
as nearly as possible with those recog-
nized by Samoan usage) for each of
which a chief will be responsible, and
these chiefs will meet annually at
place in a native council to discuss
such matters as interest them, and
make recommendations to the admin
istrator and council. Native courts
will be allowed to punish minor crimes
according to native laws and customs,
and every provision has been made to
secure to the Samoan population COM
plete independence and self govern
ment. We fear, however that the
same causes which produced rival
kings will long continue to produce
rival chiefs who will claim the post
of the provincial government and Gre
ate continued discussion
Perhaps the evils which 1t is least
easy to cure are those which arise from
the rivalry and mutual hostility of the
different nationalities. This hostility
permeates all departments Of life. We
propose to introduce an element Of
unity and Capitalization into the gov
eminent by the appointment Of an ad-
ministrator, who will doubtless be
chosen from some disinterested power
He will be assisted by a council Of
delegates from the three governments,
who might exercise such consular
functions as are necessary in Samoa.
We propose to give this administrator
large measure of authority, which,
if exercised by just and capable man,
should enable him to put an end to
many disputes.
We propose that the administrator
and the three delegates should form
legislative council and we have i'll
troduced into the act several clauses
giving them power to modify existing
ordinances
We are of the opinion that the orig
inal act of Berlin was drafted and has
been construed in too rigid manner,
and that greater elasticity in its pro-
visions would have beneficial effect.
We have, therefore, empowered the
council to make such alterations as 1t
may think fit in the boundaries of dis
trcts, the details Of native government
and other matters enumerated in the
proposed act
We hope to create a greater har-
mony among the white residents by
abolishing consular jurisdiction. We
believe that in other parts of the world
such jurisdiction prevails only where
the laws of country are. for religious
or other reasons, not suitable for ap-
pication to foreigners.
We believe that by abolishing this
outward sign Of separate national in
situations and by submitting all ma
tionalities to one court and one law,
great advance will be made in the d.
rection of removing petty rivalries and
jealousies and restoring good relations
between the various white colonies.
The third class Of evils arises from
The lawlessness. now prevailing in Sa.
moa outside the municipality. For
many years there has been no law in
these districts. and native institutions
permitted chiefs to commit crimes with
impunity. eW hope to improve this
state of things by giving the chief JUS
lice an enlarged jurisdiction over all
these islands so as to include all cases
between natives and foreigners as well
Ds the lower grades of crimes conn
mitted by natives against each other.
Fourthly, we have felt 1t our duty
to deal somewhat severely with the
Importation of arms and ammunition
into Samoa. The prohibition existing
In the treaty has become dead letter.
We feel it essential that customs rogu-
Iatlons should be stringently enforced.