The Portland daily press., 1899-01-23
SITUATION IN Samoa.
Not So wariske But II May Mean New
Treaty.

1
Washington, January ei.-while the sit
uation in Samoa Is regarded officially
as requiring delicate treatment one of
the parties to the exchanges that are
taking place expressed the opinion that
IL will certainly yield to calw discussion
and that a satisfactory understanding
viii bs the outcome This Is presuning
that the matter eau be handled entirely
by the governments o; the three countries
either through the foreign offices or their
ambassadors. The danger apprehended
is the irresp onsibls action Of some minor
officials in Samoa beyond the immediate
control OF the authorities at Berl In, Wash
ington and London. So far as the last
reports indicated, the issue between the
German representatives and the Ameri-
can and British representatives in Samoa
had not developed beyond point where
it could be readily adjusted upon a mere
statement Of thu actual facts, for 1t is
still believed that all the parties to the
treaty are willing to live up to its pro-
visions.
All of the parties TO the treaty are la
boring under lack OF exact information
as to what actually occurred at Apia.
The statements coming from American
and German sources vary in some most
important essentials, or at least leave
unmentoned facts that would largely
qualify the matters of complaint Il is
not known here just why Mataafa was
disqualified by Chief Justice Cham bers
or just why the provisional government
was recognized by the three consuls after
that legal disqualification. The most
important fact that the Department of
State is confident of is that the question
Of the succession to the throne was sub.
mitted to the chief justice. This subru!s.
sion OF the question would secin to iudi'
cate q recognition on the part Of the con-
suls OF the right Of the chief justice to
adjudlcate it and the treaty expressly
binds all three parties to tue obligation
to execute the judgment rendered by the
chief justice. 1t Is not even to be guessed
here, therefore, how the German repre-
sentatives could have found 1t consistent
with the Obligations under the treaty to
support the Mataafo party TO the extent
they did. As the Germans appear to
make point Of the claim that by the re-
tirement of the justice TO the British war
ship he vacated his office. II may be set
| down as certain that that position cannot
be upheld as the official was plainly I'M
der duress in his evacuation, which would
legally vitiate any claim that he had
surrendered his office. The treaty does
provide that in the event OF the vaca-
ton of the Office of chief justice or in
his absence, his office shall deyolye upon
the president of the provisional council,
In this case Rafael. but IL hardly can
| be contended that this would follow If
the chief justice was obliged temporarily
to flee for his life, through the attitude
of one of the parties 50 the treaty obl!
cations. Tho chief justice, although just
now an Amerioln, is supposed ID be
chosen without regard to his nationality
and is tho representative equally of all
the three treaty powers.
Assuming that the trouble at Apia has
passed Its acute state and that it will be
adjusted satisfactorily by such measures
as are required, there will remain the re-
the treaty relations of the three powers
relative to Samoa. The State Depart
ment always has been ready to consider
favorably any suggestion looking towards
the change of the Berlin treaty to meet
new exigencies, asking only that the
changes be made in the lawful method,
and resisting the attempt to secure GER
tain results desired by mere understand
ings between two of the three parties to
the treaty. In Mr. Olney's administra
ton OF the State Department he found
himself Obliged to lay this principle down
In very clear terms and the department
has seen no reason since to change Its
position, although there have been sew
eral efforts made to adopt other method
of changing the administration of affairs
at Samoa, while II is admitted that Ger
many has preponderanoe OF individual
land ownership in the Islands, the
treaty gives all three powers equal rights
in political matters.
As much turns on the accurate state
ment of the facts In this case, the follow
Ing may be accepted as the official Ger
man view of the situation as sent here
from Berlin.
The old Mataafa government WAS over
whelmingly reelected, the vote being q
to /. But the chief justice annullsd the
Matanfa election and confirmed that of
the opposing candidate. On January !,
short fight occurred between toe two
parties which ended with the flight OF
Tanus, his party, and Tamasese They
went ON board British warshlip No
foreign property was injured. The three
consuls, American. British and German
declared Mataafa's party as the provision
al government until the arrival Of in
structions from the powers The chief
justice TOOK refuge on board the British
man of war, which caused the Samoan
government to declare his functions tenn
porarily suspended. His office was closed