News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-02-15

the Berlin Treaty was entered into
by Samoa, Germany, England and
the United States, whereby the indie
pendence of Samoa was guaranteed,
Malietoa Laupepa restored as King,
and two foreign officials, Chief JUS
tice and the President of the Munic-
palty of Apia, were to he appointed
to aid, or practically direct, the ma
tive government, while certain duties
likewise rested upon the three Consuls.
The weak point of the treaty has al
ways been its complicated character,
a wheel within a wheel, a native gov
eminent theoretically autonomous,
a President to advise it, and try to
control it, a Chief Justice, to recon-
mend legislation to the native gov
eminent and to he the final legisla-
tor in the municipality of Apia, as
we'll as q court of last resort, and
three Consuls with i'll defined bound
aries of power. Thus instead OF one
King there were six. With such
subdivision of authority it has been
extremely difficult to locate RESPONSE
bility and for any one to secure eff
Gent and progressive action without
finding some fatal clog or brake in an
other part of the machine. Then,
too. the utmost tact and discretion
and due respect to national prejudlces
and customs of others are requisite
to any degree of success. A single
act of Impotence or disregard of the
rights or dignity of another official,
or contempt of native form and pO-
likeness, may create conditions de-
structive of all usefulness on the part
of an official. Any act of injustice or
oppression is sure to be quickly re-
sented.
Jealousies between the different ma
tionalities are strong. Yet exact u.s.
tice, evenness and impartiality, fair
treatment Of all and complete indie
pendence of any special influence are
as quickly recognized and appreci-
ated by natives and foreigners 10
Samoa as elsewhere. The natives
learn quickly to submit their differ
ences with confidence to a white Otfi-
cial who listens, investigates and de
sides fairly, and to accept his advice
as that of a true and competent
| friend. They are somewhat apt in
imitation, and judiciOus administra-
ton of law or government affairs
soon produces its effect as the most
efficient of object lessons. In spite of
drawbacks, fighting, difficulties and
embarrassments, the Berlin Treaty
can Justly claim not to have satisfied
the sanguine hopes Ct its distin-
guished authors, but yet to have Civ
en- a better government to Samoa
than ever existed there before, to have
made Apia as we'll governed a NUM-
cipaIity as is often found, to have
created more miles of good roads
than had been there made in all time
before, to have effectually prevented
the sale Of destructive Intoxicating
liquors to natives, to have settled
4 finally all land titles and established
an efficient system of registration,
TO have created a government that
paid its own bills, to have secured
equal rights, in all respects, TO resi-
dents of all natiOnalities, to have es-
tablished an international court of
last resort that has earned the re-
spect of all, and, what is moreimpor-
tant than all else, to have established
rule of law to govt m all the high
contracting parties in their relations
to Samoa. Before the treaty con-
slant friction arose, but there was
nothing to define the rights of either
nation, and the troubles in Samoa
we're constant menance to the peace
of nations. The difference, interna-
tiOnally, is that between a new min
ing camp in the Klondike, where
every man is his own Judge, and the
same community when organized I'M
der known written law. The rights
of the parties are now Defined and it
is safe to assume that whatever of
irregularity has recently occurred in
the islands, will be corrected within
the limits of the treaty and will cause
no break in friendly relations between
our country and Germany. So far as
our own country is concerned, the
treaty was the result of manv Years
of diplomatic action by adminiStra-
tions Of different political faiths, was
delhpratel y entered into, pertpcts o
w. our invaluable rights in the PAgO
Pago harbOr, gives to us a foothold
from whirn we cannot be shaken in
the only independent group in the
SOnth Pacific, lying in the pathway
of all commerce between our Pacific
coast and The great Republican EN-.
pire growing up in Australia, at which
all steamers from the United States
to Australia touch, and no doubt
the Pacific cables will find one OF
their resting places, sure to become OF
transcendent Importance when our
Nicaragua Canal is constructed.
When President Cleveland thrice re-
commended a Withdrawal from the
treaty, he found little response TO bis
call even in his own party. When
President Mckinley announced that
there would be no withdrawal from
Samoa, he had the country with him
| With pinb oaonuo ~ Cannon In 4 h.