New-York tribune., 1899-03-24
SUBJECT FOR ARBITRATION.

Affairs IN the Samoan Islands are lar lroli
satisfactory. On this point everybody IS aere.u.
That they should permanently improve unu1
Tho conditions imposed by the Berlin lrea'! 10
rot likely. and probably impossible "ha'' 'n'"'
is the remedy! ~ oro
soma Of the difficulties In the SITUATION arc
accidentally referred to In n Washington let'ei
,h;ch u,e nrint in another part of to-day issue'
Ubov ore not by any means all that CONFRONT 'he
,hroo Governments. but they are sunclent u ue
,oonctrote the futiity of seeking any pernianen'
co,t,cment of the disputed points upon tne pasi'
80 tho trina rite agreement OF 1889 Whatever
,ho d;ficulties and radical defects or that treaty
oaromon-sanso demands that something be done
hitch will Immediately bring order out OF the
chaos reiening in Apia and give some reasona-
Mo ouarantec of satisfaction with any ADJUST
ment that may hereafter be made
rio cerman Government has shown dlspo-
si,iop n withdraw its officials whose conduct
iustIv or uniustly, is said 10 have been the cause
of the recent troubles II Great brltaih iae
shown a similar disposition the fact has escaped
our attention. Our own representative SUN
holds his ground and does not seem likely 10 DO
disturbed very soon. In showing "iiiinehe''
TO withdraw its officials, however, ana relraih-
ing from making representations on the re'eh-
ton of our own and those OF Great Brltaln, 'ne
German Government Is not UNDERSTOOD 10 nave
conceded that the acts OF It's agents were III VIZ
)ation of treaty stipulations or to have adhlt'eu
that the attitude Of the representatives Oh INC
other governments could in any way be Jusu-
fed On the contrary, as we understanu ''
view of the matter the Foreign Ofhce IN Berlin
has from the start contended. and asserts 50
now. that the decision of Chief Justice Chaih-
hers IN favor of Malietoa Tanu was not only
arbitrary and wrong, but likewise contrary 10
the terms Of the treaty, which clearly provldeu
for an election of King by the natives accord
ing TO their customs and traditions.
Now il NAV be argued, with some degree Oh
plausbity perhaps that inasmuch as the de
cision of the Chief Justice is final, so far as
Somoo and the Samoans are concerned, 1t ought
right or wrong, 10 be binding upon the threc
signatory Powers. Technically this may De
correct view TO take Of the case, but 1t is hardly
an equitable one. Nobody could justly olame
our Government for declining 10 permit the de-
cision of the Chief Justice TO be submitted to re-
vision. But If that decision, on the other hahu
was lust there Is little fear of its being reversed
by any competent tribunal. And Is 1t WISE
under the circumstances, for us to show less
conciliatory spirit than Germany has done OF
late? This is question affecting the interests
OF three great governments one IL no' TWO Oh
which have time and again expressed them
selves as in favor of the principle OF arbltraton
Is not this question Of the justice and validity
of the Chambers decision one which could safe-
ly be left for determination to an arbitrator or
an international tribunal? We think 1t could
With 1t would fall n number of minor questions
at issue which now threaten to create new diff
culties at the same time that 1t would pave the
way toward a solution of the more difficult
problem of permanent settlement. The mat
ter we repeat, is worth considering.