New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
RETURNING FROM SAMOA.
COMMISSIONERS EVOLVE A SATISFAC-
TORY POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
THE THREE POWERS TO APPOINT Whl
GOVERN OR-MR. Trips COMMENTS
on THE SITUATION.

THE THREE POWERS TO APPOINT VIM -
GovERNoR-MR. TRIPS COMMENTS
on THE SITUATION.
Honolulu July 90. via San Francisco. Aug D
The United States ship Badger. bearing TWO VI
the three Samoan Commissioners arrived az
this port on Wednesday afternoon. July ~ e'e"
days from Apia, on her way to san Frarc''O0
on board were Bartlett Trip, United o'a''
Commissioner and Baron Won Sternberg' rePie
sentative OF Germany. c. y. F. Elliott Coilil''''
soner for Great Britain, sailed by way OF NC"
Zealand and Australia for London. to report III
rectly to his Government.
Residents OF Samoa have filed with the COM
missioners claims aggregating S44oop TOT p'op
erty destroyed during the recent temporary oo
cupation OF Mulinuu by American and brltis"
sailors. The last claim from the Cathohc
Marst Mission for $4,000, and was for the al
legged looting of the premises by natives, upon
instructions, It is said. OF the British COM
mander. Another was from German firm TOT
$4,000 for much the same reasons. Other
claims were from settlers whose property was
damaged in various ways.
J. F. Hackfed, for the last five years Consui
General in the Hawaiian Islands for Austria
Hungary. has resigned. Mr.. Hackfeld Is IN
terested in the Oahu plantation which employs
a number OF Galician laborers. subjects OF Aus
tria Some time ago number Of these Ia
borers refused to work according to their con-
tracts and were arrested. tried convicted ana
sent to jail until such time they would take
up their duties at the planaton. Mr. Hackfeld
resigned because he felt he could not honoraDy
remain in a position where his official duties
would seem to conflict with his business In
terests
STATEMENT FROM MR.. TRIPP.
Bartlett Trpp, United States Samoan Com
missioner said. I'VE cannot make public the
provisions Of the draft Of the government we
have agreed to for Samoa, until it has been
presented TO our respective Governments
Certain features OF 1t have become so well
known, however. that there can be harm In
speaking Of them. In the first place we recon-
mend the abolishment of kingship, and in its
place the appointment Of an administrator or
executor from some country other than the
three governments The islands are divided into
districts. and each one will be governed by a
native chief. Apa will have the Governor and
the other municipal officers, who will for the
most part at least be white men. The Chief Jus
tice. will be a white man. but the native judges
wifi have Jurisdiction In criminal offences where
natives only are concerned"
efforts 10 dlsarm the natives and the restora-
tion of order 10 the islands. Mr.. Tripp said:
I'VE then established a local government Tor
Apia and turned over to II the details of ad-
mlnistraton. and began the most important
work OF framing permanent government. We
decided that the decision Of the Supreme Court.
declaring Malietoa King. must be sustained
We might not agree with the reasoning that
led up 10 this decision. but II decision
q .he tribunal which the Powers had them
selves established and bound themselves TO abide
by But we coupled with this decision an agree
ment TO recommend the abolshment OF the
kingship. We found that the kingship was not
u native Indigenous institution hut that II
had been introduced by the missionaries. who
doubtless thought IL would be better to have
one central authority than a large number OF
local authorities The Samoans have hereditary
chiefs. but not hereditary kings The kings
selected. and in the whole history Of the
kingship there had never been an election which
was not followed by lnsurrection and blood
shed. SO that IN aboishing tho kngship there
was nothing subversive Of Samoan customs or
ideas.
no PRESSURE on MAIIETOA
I'VE brought pressure on Malietoa to re-
sign. but he and his advisers saw that II our
recommendation to abolish the kingship pre-
vailed his tenure a short one. and II II did
not prevail he had such slight prospects Of
maintaining himself against rebellious subjects
that his tenure unstable. He IL a young
man. eighteen years old. without any partcu-
lar force Of character. He told us he had rather
be district chief. undisturbed. than King, with a
prospect Of speedy resignation. Pressure to
resign came from circumstances. not from us
1--WE made a complete tour Of the islands. ap-
pointing meetings in every district and meet
ing there ali the district chiefs as well az the
whole body OF the people. and then we appointed
a conference for July II at Munuu 10 which
we invited all chiefs above a certain rank There
four hundred and fifty chiefs present.
representing both factions.
so thoroughly had our views become known
20 the Samoans that Mataafa. who sick and
could not be present sent draft OF a form OF
government which expressed his views and
which almost exactly coincided with the draft
we had drawn The Malietoa chiefs not to be
outdone, said they would agree to that. Accord
ingly, thirteen chiefs selected from each
side who came aboard the Badger the next
morning and. on behalf OF their people. signed
there were great manifestations Of friendship
there was great manifestations Of friendship
between the two factions. They shook hands
and rubbed noses There was the greatest dem
onstration Of amity and good feeling.
THE CONSUIS NOW IN CHARGE.
We have tried to combine in the form OF gov
ernment we recommended simplicity. strength
and economy. The provisional government we
left In the hands OF the Consuls representing the
three treaty Powers. They were the only mate
rial available. in certain questions provided for
by the Berlin Treaty unanimity Is required Of
them, but in all matters Of administrative gov
ernment majority may act. The COnsus are
Hamilton Hunter, Acting British Consul; Amer
lean Consul Osborn and Acting German Consul
Grunow. Mr.. Osborn is made Acting Chief JUS