Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-08-05
The new REGIME
IN SAMOAN ISLES
Recommendations of the Tripartite
Commission Regarding Form
of Government.
SUBSTITUTE FOR THE KINGSHIP
Island TO BE Divided Into Adminis-
trativc Districts, with u
CHIEF Responsible for
Each One.

San Francisco, Aug. The Saii
publishes the resolutions of the TIL
partite commission sent TO Samoa,
making various recommendations re-
garding the new form of government
decided upon 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
ernments.
The commissioners, in their report,
say that in preparing the modified and
amended version of the act OF Berhp
they considered what the evils were
which caused the recent troubles In
Samoa, the general conditions OF the
island, and what measures were most
likely 10 remove and minimize those
evils. To meet these evils they tenn
porarily abolished the kingship, and
recommend hat il be permanently
abolished. They say from all the evil
dence given before the commission
the kingship served no useful purpose,
and il is impossible TO say of the Of
flee any good whatever. The king
had practically no power or authority,
and the greater part of the population
was in permanent rebellion against
| him, and the mere fact that orders
were issued through him was liable to
provoke disturbances in many dis
~tricts. 1t seemed impossible to de-
wise any plan by which az 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 10
that which works so successfully in
Fiji. The islands will be divided into
administrative districts, for each OF
which n 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 viii 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 an administrator, in or
der to introduce an element Of unity
and Capitalization i'm the government,
who shall be chosen from some disin-
terested power He will be assisted by
n council of delegates from the three
governments, who might exercise such
consular functions as are necessary iii
Samoa.
1t is proposed to give this admins
traitor a large measure of authority,
which should enable him 10 put an 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 o.
Berlin as drafted has been construed
in too rigid a manner, and that great
er elasticity in its provisions would
have a beneficial effect. They there
fore have empowered the council tc
make such alterations as it may thinl
fit i'm the boundaries of districts, the
details of native government and othel
matters enumerated in the proposed
Y act.
Bv the adjustment of consular juris
y diction the commission hopes to Great
a greater harmony among the whit
residents, and natives and foreigner
are 10 have bat one law and one court
E For many years there has been no lay
or government in Samoa other tina
e native custom outside the limits OF tn
s municipal, and serious crimes hav
been allowed to remain ~unpunishe
when committed by persons OF RAM
. The chief Justice is to have an enlarge
Jurisdiction, so as TO include Doth ma
g tives and foreigners as well as the low
. err grades of crime committed by nj
( tives against each other.
> The commissioners deal severel
: with the importation of arms and an
e munition, the existing prohibition haN
e ing been a dead letter, and deem
: essential that the customs regulation
i should be stringently enforced unde
d the supervision of the administrato
r and that adequate customs accomm'
n dations should be provided without d'
t lay. 49,,
o The report is signed by Bartle'
= Tripp, high commissioner of the Uni
: ed States: C. +. n. Elliott, her Brital
: mic majesty's high commissioner; II: !
3 Sternburg, high commissioner OF ue
e many.