The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-08-05
THE NEW REGIME
in SAMOAN ISLES.
Recommendations Of the Tripartite
Commission Regarding Form
Of Government.
SUBSTITUTE FOR The KlNGsHlp
Island TO BE Divided Into Admins,
tlsntivc Districts, with u
Chicf Responsible Tor
Eacl, One.

San Francisco, Aug. 1.-The Sail
publishes the resolutions of the tri-
partite commission sent TO Samoa,
making various recommendations re-
snrding the new form of government
decided by them as most suitable
for the islands. The resolutions are
based on the best features of the Ber-
lin treaty, and include the principal
features of the proposed new treaty as
amended and modified by the commits
%sioners. The official report of the
commission and the draft of the pro-
posed amended treaty are said to be
now on the way to the respective gov.
ernInents.
The commissioners, in their report,
say that in preparing the modified and
amended version of the act of Berlin
they considered what the evils We're
which caused the recent troubles in
Samon, the general conditions OF the
island, and what measures were most
likely to remove and minimize those
evils. To meet these evils they tenn
porarily abolished the kingship, and
recommend that it be permanently
abolished. They say from all the evil
dence given before the commission
the lsingship served no useful purpose,
and it is impossible to say of the Of
flee any good whatever. The king
lad practically no power or authority,
and the greater part of the population
was in permanent rebellion against
him, and the mere fact hat orders
were issued through him was liable to
provoke disturbances in many dis
%tricts. 1t seemed impossible to de-
wise any plan by which an undisputed
or even peaceful succession could be
secured, as the gist of the laws of
Samoa did not prevent two candidates
from being elected king at the same
time.
In the place of the king the COM
missioners propose to create a system
of native government, analogous to
That which works so successfully in
Fiji. The islands will be divided into
administrative districts, for each of
\ which Il chief will be responsible.
those chiefs to meet annually and dis
cuss matters of interest and make
recommendations to the administrator
and council. Native courts will be al
lowed to punish minor crimes accord
ing to native laws and customs and
every provision will be made to secure
TO the Samoan population complete
independence and self-government.
The commissioners propose the APP
pointment OF al administrator, in or
der to introduce an element of unity
and Capitalization in the government,
who shall be chosen from some disin-
f,,..rf.l n,.- IT. It'll la....A-.1 -.
u council of delegates from the three
governments, who might exercise such
consular functions as are necessary in
| Samoa.
1t is proposed to give this admins
traitor u large measure of authority,
which should enable him to put IN end
to many disputes, and that the admin
istrator and the three delegates shall
form a Legislative council. Several
clauses have been introduced in the
act giving the council power to modify
ordinances, and the commissioners are
of the opinion that the original act of
Berlin as drafted has been construed
in too rigid a manner, and hat great
cr elasticity in its provisions would
have a beneficial effect. They there
fore have empowered the council to
make such alterations as it may think
fit i'll the boundaries Of districts, the
details of native government and other
matters enumerated in the proposed
act.
BY the adjustment of consular iuris-
diction the commission hopes to create
a greater harmony among the white
residents, and natives and foreigners
are to have but one law and one court.
For many years there has been no law
or government In Samoa other than
native custom outside the limits of the
municipal, and serious crimes have
been allowed to remain unpublished
when committed by persons of rank.
The chief justice is to have an enlarged
jurisdiction, so as to include both M
tives and foreigners as well as the low
err grades of crime committed by ma
tives against each other.
The commissioners deal severely
munition, the existing prohibition hav-
ing been a dead letter, and deem 1t
essential that the customs regulations
should be stringently enforced under
the supervision of the administrator
and that adequate customs accommo-
dations should be provided without de-
lay.
The report is signed by Bartlett
Trip. high commissioner Of the Unit
ed States; c. L. N. Elliott, her Britain
mic majesty's high commissioner; Fl. X.
S%ternburg. high commissioner Of Ger
many.