The record-union., 1899-07-31
uFaff Of the Document Prepared by
the Commission.
hollshes the Office Of King and Limits
the Authority Of Chiefs.
Provision Made for the Appoint
ment Of an Administrator to be
Selected by the Three Signatory
Powers-The Chief Justice to be
Appointed as at Present.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30.-The
draft of the proposed new Samoan
treaty as amended by the Samoan
Commissioners is a document of 5,OOu
words The important features Of this
treaty are enumerated and discussed in
the Commissions report, the treaty
containing the details of the modified
form of government for Samoa, as out
lined in the report.
The treaty begins with a declaration
of the neutrality of the islands of Sa-
moa, and an assurance to the respec-
tive citizens and subjects of the sigma
tory powers equality of rights. 1t pro-
vides for the immediate restoration of
peace and good order. and to this end
permanently abolishes the office OF
King, and limits the authority of chiefs,
but creates a system of native govern
ment.
Provision is made for the appoint
ment of an administrator of Samoa, to
be appointed by the three signatory
powers, or failing, their agreement by
the King of Norway and Sweden. The
administrators salary will be $4,000
per annum, and he is to execute all
laws in force in the Samoan Islands.
He shall possess the pardoning power.
and make municipal appointments,
with the consent of the executive coun-
ell, the legislative power being vested
in the administrator and the Leg1Sla-
tive or Executive Council of three
members, one Councillor being appoint
ed by each of the three powers. There
is also to be a native assembly COM
posed of Governors of the different dis
tricts of the island.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court is to be appointed as at present,
receiving salary of $1,000. The jur-
isdiction of the Supreme Court is in
creased by the modified treaty, while
the present system of Consular juris-
diction is to be abolished.
The treaty contains municipal and
customs regulations, all of which are
more strict than at present. The gen.
eral provisions of the act are to re
main in force for three years, although
in the meantime special amendments
may be adopted by the consent of the
three powers with the adherence of Sa-
moa.
The text of the treaty is as follows:
I'VE have the honor to submit here
with to the consideration of our three
governments the incloSed draft of a
modified and amended version of the
Act of Berlin. In preparing these mod
ifications and amendments, our method
has been to consider, first, what are
the evils which have caused the recent
troubles in Samoa and the generally
unsatisfactory condition of the islands;
ha a
most likely to remove or minimize
those evils?
The chief evils may be, in our opln-
ion, grouped under four heads:
.First-Those which appear to inev-
itably attend the election of a King in
Samoa and his subsequent efforts to
exert his authority.
"Second-Those which are due to the
rivalry of the foreign nationalities be-
tween themselves, and to their DISPOSE
ton to take sides in the native politics.
and thus increase the Importance ano
bitterness of the disputes which arise
..Thrd-A third class of evils have
their origin in the fact that for many
years there has been no law nor gov
eminent in Samoa other than native
custom outside the limits of the munic-
ipality. Murder and other serious
crimes have remained unpunished when
committed by persons of rank, and the
Supreme Court and the nominal Gov
eminent at Mulinuu have been equally
powerless to exert any controlling
force.
'Fourth--The insufficient enforcement
of the customs regulations has allowed
INSCRIPTIONS traders to distribute large
numbers of arms among a native pop
ulation rent by political factions, and
ready to fight both one another and
Europeans.
ITO meet the first of these evils we
have temporarily abolished the King
ship. and recommend that it be per-
manently abolished. The action which
we have taken in the matter does not
appear to have aroused any hostile
feeling among the natives.
mo doubt many great chiefs regret
that they will no longer have an OPP
portunity of gratifying their ambitions
and INDUCING that passion for rank
and ceremony which is innate in tbs
breast of every Samoan
But even the chiefs have acquiesced
in the change; some of the most i'm
it is for the good of Samoa and VIC
believe that the population, unless
worked upon by extraneous influences
which is, unhappily, not impossible
will assent to the abolition without
murmur and without regret.
Every white man, German, Englisf
and American, alike. who has giyer
evidence before the commission (witf
the exception of one or two lawyers
who had private interests in the case
has recommended the commission to dc
away with the kingship, and we ma!
also refer to the opinion of Sir E. Male'
recorded in the protocols of the con-
ference of Berlin and of Mr.. Bates II
his report on Samoa
.It seems impossible to say of the
office any good whatever. 1t is COM
paratively modern as an institution II
served no useful purpose. In recent
wears at any rate. the King had nc
authority or practical power to ever
collect taxes beyond the limits of tbs
municipality, and within those limits
his authority was superfluous. ThS
greater part of the population was t.