Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-08-07
II, disarmament Of the Natives
Was Essential to Peace
4 40 RIFLES WERE TAKEN.
.,i.,iener. Have Them-samoans
a, p,id-pIan of Government
T. Largely a secret.

,,,.,s,. Aug. IA special 10 the
II 49, from san francisco says.
r.rasu Trip and Baron sternbers,
,maricnn and German members "
s,r,o,n commission. who arrived IN
,..,lty saturday on the United states
,-~,r BADGER. will leave Tor wash
l-ra 90 night
tssrd the Badger are $500 rifles
VA fbr commissioners took from the
a.gsrs ~ Matanfu ana Malletun
m Speaking N these arms MI
4ss commissioners on the arrival AZ
Ats May 18TH last saw that the natives
"siil have TO be disarned " peace was
Z, h restored gud placed ln a position
y, ,ls5mpllah dnything definite. Al the
stI,. people on the Islands. Including
ts. rtynl officials and the missionaries
,tsBrht disarmament was Impossible.
w. commissioners made up their minds
,,bsys ii done. Matanfa and his chiefs
VEN sounded on the subject They were
VA that the Maiirton Tanu people
g59M be- compelled 90 give W their
ans II they ala ro. Negotiations we're
carried on quietly but Ia a determined
The Nntanfa people wanted to know
Il they would receive pay for their
surs We had no power Co reimburse
thsm We promised. however, that ar
ts- peace was established aud We re-
turned home that they should be- COM
feHsated for their arms or the latter
would De- restored 10 them.
aOn May liat the Mataafn people SUR
rendered IN ~ 900 guns. General sur
pfl.a was expressed ut this action. The
Nfletdl Tunu faction 70 day later SUR
rendered their arms, the latter lnclud-
Inc zoo rifles from the English mnn.Of-
war nt Apll. The Mutaafn people soon
came iu with the remainder Of their
urlpdHa The commissioners viii rcc-
ommend that the natives be paid for
the guns
thr commissioners have decided upon;
We think we have accomplished a1mo-
hing dednitc. Now, ! cannot talk upon
what $40 have decided upon, only three
copies Uf the proposed form u govern
rtnt are .n existence. These are IN the
possession NJ the three commissioners
Ind are intended Tor their respective
governments. while In "a general way
some NJ the features ~ this proposed
form " government are known 10 IL
MO true that tho document has been
given out FOR publication here or any
where elise.
The proposed government provides
% white man aH administrator " the
words He Will take the place Of n
Samoan king. Much of the trouble IN
the Islands has been due o. tho fact
that the natives have always had an
elective instead Of hereditary king.
The natives realize that fact them
selves. Malirtol having resigned aa
King. that troublesome proposition ~
now nt AN end. Ry having n white
administrator In supreme control 10 II
the hope n the commission that peace
win be- permanent IN the Islands. There
also VIII be consular representatives,
but their authority win be moro cur
tailed than az present, The natives
win be- allowed local government
The idea uf the commissioners iH 10 let
M natives govern Themselves as FAR as
possible.
we believe that the government We
have recommended meets with general
approval on the part " the natives. The
thro" drafts or cnpleH we have, are
signed by thirteen Mntnnfa chiefs and
o. Uko number Of Mnlietol hcadmcn,
Uf1lt drafting the scheme We visited
every district and island save Munun,
some chiefs from tho latter island We're
fagr. M ill the districts meetings were
ha4 whore we exchanged views with
its natives, Many good suggestions
Wrt obtained Ia this way Finally
PIG uI1Cll was held on that occasion
iH chiefs met uH. There was an puuul
number from the Mataafa and Male
GOO factions. II was a unique ana pic
ily'pI1 gathering
lauu Matanfn chief read n
lrrhy statement embodying his Views
hf % form Of government II Con-
t.1'd many points We had already de-
cllal upon. This coincidence was not
strange because ~ the fact that We
poo Previously exchanged Views with
o. natives nH 60 what WIS bost FOR
10 . IA .Ha.. 40.
lWlnF that twcnty-HlN chiefs, thirteen
ION each faction, signed our three
drafts W the proposed government. The
plan Will have to b. ratified by the
thsg governments before II ~ enforced.
chief Lhuti II nuc orator. lie
would rank az an orator In any cOun-
~ Chief Fati. Of the Malieton follow
ihf q also an able speaker. Chiefs
lftlul md Won can also be placed
20 'ha same category. when chief Lee
manu- babe us goodbye he remarked.
You are not going back home 10
AA' FOOLS N yourselves lie explained
Pr i1mewhlt singular remark by say
~ You viii tell your people that you
lllie peace nj Samoa. We do not
want 20 lIsappolnt you. We will keep
W" chief l.emanu belongs to the
Aalsaia following
W. Trip admitted that chief jus
we Chambers had returned To this
,shfy with the Intention Of rcsignlng.
~ leliei that there had been any fric-
no. ltiWcsn chief Justice Chnmbefa
alq lhe commission and insisted that
uN along there has been the utmost
~ feeling. He aid not know at what
,H, chambers would resign, nor ala !
he know what effect tho resignation |
would have.
res Commissioner Trip went on,
We prepared a confidential report re- !
saIllnF The fight at Samoa last spring, !
! cannot discuss the character OF mine
h even ultimate whom | think respon- !
cnr iYr thn unfortunate loss Of life, |
considerable damage resulted from the !
,.,Nnaflment and claims nggrerating !
NN are being prepared, The COM
nsIunefa had no authority In that !
Murdered by American sailor.