Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-05
Great Britain was sent to Samoa to in

Great Britain was sent to Samoa to in
vestigate the situation and provide a
temporary remedy. BY its active eff
forts peaceful solution was reached
for the time being, the kingship being
abolished and provisional government
established. Recommendations unani-
mously made by the commission for
permanent adjustment of the Samoan
question We're taken under consideration
by the three powers parties to the gem.
eral act. But the more they We're ex-
amined the more evident 1t became that
a radical change was necessary In the
lrelations of the powers to Samoa.
The inconvenience and possible peris
of the trpartite scheme of supervision
and control in the Samoan group by
powers having little interest in common
in that quarter beyond commercial riv-
airy has been once more emphasized by
the recent events. The suggested rem
dy OF the joint commission, like the
scheme it aimed to replace, amounted
to what has been styled tridomnium,
being the exercise of the functions of
sovereignty by an unanimous agree
ment of three powers. The situation had
become far more intricate and embar-
raising from every point of view than
1t was when my predecessor, in 1894,
summed up its perpexities and con-
lsdemned the participation in it of the
United States.
The arrangement under which Samoa
was administered had proved impracti-
cable and unacceptable to all the pow
| erS concerned. To withdraw from the
agreement and abandon the islands to
Germany and Great Britain would not
be compatible with our interests in the
archipelago To relinquish our rights
| in the harbor of Page Pago the best an
lschorage in the Pacific. the occupancy of
| which had been leased to the United
States in 1878 by the first foreign treaty
ever concluded by Samoa, was not to be
| thought of either as regards the needs
of our navy or the interests of our
| growing commerce With the east We
| could not have considered any PROPOSE
| ton for the abrogation of the tripartite
control which did not confirm us in all
4 our rights and safeguard all our ma
4 tional interests in the islands.
| Our views commended themselves to
| the other powers. "A satisfactory ar
arrangement was concluded between the
governments of Germany and England,
by virtue of which England retired from
i Samoa IN view OF tcOIIlpeIlSalloIlS ia QUIZ
er directions, and both powers re-
nounced in favor of the United States
IAN their rights and claims over and in
| respect to that portion of the group ly-
| ing to the east of the Hist degree of
west longitude, embracing the islands
of Tutuila. Ofoo, Closenga and Manua.
| transmit to the senate, for Its consti-
tutional action thereon, convention,
which, besides the provisions above
mentioned. also guarantee US the same
privileges and conditions in respect to
commerce and commercial vessels in all
of the islands of Samoa as those pos
sessed by Germany.
Claims have been preferred by
white residents of Samoa on
account of injuries alleged tc
have been suffered through the acts
4 of the treaty governments in putting
down the late disturbances. A conven-
ton has been made between the three
4 powers for the investigation and Settle
ment of these claims by a neutral arbi-
traitor, to which the attention of the
senate will be invited.