The Worcester spy., 1899-07-31
Commissioners to Is
lands Draw Up
Their Views.
FOUR EVILS and THE REMEDIES.
Powers Asked to Abolish
Kingship as Best
Solution.

fishes the report of the tripartite COM
mission sent to Samoa, making various
recommendations regarding the new
form of government decided upon by
them as most suitable for the islanders.
These resolutions are based upon the
best features of the Berlin treaty and
include the principal features of the
proposed new treaty, as amended and
modified by the commissioners. The
official report of the commissioners and
the draft of the proposed amended
treaty are said to be now on the way
to the respective governments.
| The resolutions of the commissioners
are as follows: Wehave the honor tosub-
NIT herewith to the consideration of our
three governments the inclosed draft of
modified and amended version of the
act of Berlin. In preparing these modifi-
cations and amendments our method
| has been to consider first what are the
| evils which have caused the recent
troubles in Samoa, and the general con-
| ditions of the islands, and secondly,
| which are the measures most likely to
| remove or minimize those evils.
| The chief evils may be grouped under
| four heads:
| First, those which appear to newt
| ably attend the election of a king in
! Samoa and his subsequent effort to sx-
ert his authority.
Second those which are due to the
rivalry Of foreign nationalities between
| themselves and to their disposition to
! take sides in the native politics and
thus increase the Importance and Bit
terness of disputes which arise.
Three, a third class of evils have their
origin in the fact that for many years
there has been no law or government
in Samoa other than native customs
outside the limits of the municipality.
Murder and other serious crimes have
remained unpunished when committed
by persons of rank and the supreme
court, and the nominal government at
Mulinu, have been equally powerless
to exert any force.
Fourth, the insufficient enforcement
of the customs regulations has allowed
unscrupulous leaders to distribute a
large amount of arms among native
population rent by political factions and
ready to fight both natives and Euro
peans.
To meet the first of these evils, we
have temporarily abolished the kingship
and recommend that it be permanently
abolished. The action which we have
have aroused any hostile feeling among
the natives. No doubt many great
chiefs regret that they will no longer
have an opportunity of gratifying their
ambitions and indulging that passion
| for rank and ceremony which is innate
| in the breast of every Samoan But
even the chiefs have acquesced in the
change; some of the most important
| have stated that they think it is for the
good of Samoa and we believe that
| the population, unless worked on by
extraneous influences (Which is unhap-
| PLY not impossible) will assent to the
abolition without murmur and with
out regret.
Every white man, German, English
| and American alike, who have given
| evidence before the commission with
the exception of one or two LAWYERS
who had interest in the case) has rec
commended that the commission do
away with the kingship, and we may
also refer to the opinion of Sir E Ma
let, recorded in the protocols of sthe
| conference of Berlin, and of Mr.. Bates
in his report on Samoa
1t seems impossible to say of the Of
nee any good whatever. 1t is compar-
atively modern as an institution. IT
served no useful purpose In recent
years, at any rate, the king had no au-
thorlty or practical power to even col
lect taxes beyond the limits Of the nu-
nielpal1ty, and within those limits his
authority was superfiuous. The great
er part of the population was to all in
tents and purposes in permanent re-
pellon against him, and the mere fact
that orders were issued through him
was liable to provoke disobedience in
many districts
Further it seemed impossible to de-
wise any plan by which an undfsputed
or even peaceful succession can be Sc
cured. The kingship depends on the
grant OF certain titles by certain dis
trlcts. They are in the gift. NOT of the
whole population, but of small bodies
oI electors, who owe their position to
their rank. Even among those electors
tne principle that the majority of the
vote pestows the title is not accepted
ana the gist of all the laws and customs
OF Samoa is that there is nothing to
pIeNent Two candidates from being du-
~ elected king at the same time.
Formerly the claims of such rivals
were decided by force Of arms, but tho
trainers of the act of Berlin, who evil
IDENTIFY thoroughly understood Samoan
customs and practice in this matter
laid down that questions respecting
the rightful appointment of king shall
not lead to war, but shall be presented
for decision to the chief justice of Sa-
moa."
Recent experience has unhappilv
proved that an attempt to settle the
question in this way, also leads to war.
and we are therefore strongly of the
opinion that the only chance of pre-
venting such dissensions in the future.
is to abolish the office, which proyokes
them In the place Of the kingship. we
propose to create system of native
government analogous to that which
works successfully in Fiji. The islands
VIII be divided into certain adminstra-
tive districts, corresponding as nearly
as possible with those recognized by
Samoan usage, for each of which d
chief will be responsible, and these
chiefs will meet annually at a place III
native council to discuss such mat
ters as interest them, and make rec
concentrations to the administrator and
council.
Native courts will lie allowed to pun
lsh minor crimes according to native
laws and customs, and every provision
has been made to secure to the Samoan
population complete independence and
government. We fear, however.
that the same causes which produced
rival kings, will long continue to pro-
duce rival chiefs. who will claim the
post of the provincial government and
create continued dissensions.
Perhaps the evils which it is least
easy to cure are the second class.
those which arise from the rivalry and
mutual hostility of the different ma
tionalities. The traders on one side
combine against those on the other. The
municipal council is divided into two
parties, each determined to support its
own program anu defeat that Of the
other.
Proposed reforms and measures ara
judged not on their merits, but by party
considerations, and officials, however
impartial they may wish to be.