Arizona republican., 1899-07-31
Report Of Its Investigation Made
Public.
The GOVERNMENT PROPOSED
An Administrator from DiSinter-
eSfed Power and a Council of
Delegates From the Three Ma
fiOns = Native Council Repre-
SenfiHg Administrative Dis.
friCfS TO Meet Annually in Spa

EgE
San Francisco. July 30.-The Gail
publishes a report of the tripar. lite
commission sent to Samoa. making va
rious recommendations regarding the
new form of government decided upon
by them as the most suita.ble for the
Islanders. THESE recommendations are
based upon THE best features of the
Perrin treaty and include '14le principal
features of the proposed new treaty, as
amended and modified by the commits
sioners. The official rspcq-t of the COM
missiOners and d.nft of the proposed
amended treaty are said to be now on
the Way to their respective govern
m1nts. The report of rile commission
ers is in part as follows:
We have the honor to submit here
with to the consideration OF our three
governments draft of the modified
ana amended version of the act of
Perrin. In preparing these modiffca-
lions and amendments. our method has
been 10 consider what are the evils
which caused the recent troubles in
Samoa and the generally unsatiSfac-
tory condition of the islands. and what
are the measures most likely TO re-
move or minimize those exils. The
chief evils may be grouped under four
head:
- Those Which appear inevitably
TO attend the election OF Il king in
Samoa and his subsequent efforts 10
exert authority.
- Those which are due TO the
rivalry of foreign nationalities be
tween themselves and to a disposition
to take sides in uative politics and
thus increase the Importance and bit
rerness of the disputes which arise.
p \ third class of evils have origin
in the fact THAT for many years t11ere
has been no law or government in
Samoa other than native custom. out
side the iinlits of the municipality
Murder and other serious crimes re
manned unpublished when committed
by persons of rank. and the supreme
COURT and nominal government at
NLiLinuu have been equally powerless
to exert 4 controlling force.
Il. The insufficient enforcement of
customs regulations have allowed un-
scrupuIous traders to distribute arms
among the native population rent by
political factors and ready to fight
both one another and Europeans
''To meet the first of these evils we
nave temporarily abandoned the king
ship and recommend that it be per-
manently abolished.
In place of the kingship we propose
to establish system of native govern
ment analogous to that which works
successfully in Fiji The islands will
h divided into certain administrative
districts corresponding as nearly as
possible with those recognized by
Samoan usage) for each of which a
chief will be responsible, and these |
chiefs viii meet annually at Apia, in |
native council, to discuss matters and
make recommendations to the admin
istrator and council.
Perhaps the evils which it is least
easy to cure are the second class. those
which arise from the rivalry and mu-
tlal hostility of the different nation
aiities. We propose 10 Introduce an
element of unity ami Capitalization
into the government by the appc:Tt-
1rent of an adm:nistrator who VIII |
doubtless be chosen from a dtsinter-
ested power He will be assisted by a
council of delegates from the three
governments. We propose that the
administrator and three delegates
should form Il legislative council and
We have introduced into the act sew
eral clauses giving them power to
modify existing ordinances.
Thirdly we hope to create greater
harmony among the white residents
by abolishing consular jurisdiction.
''Fourthly, We have felt II our drty
to deal somewhat severely with the
importation of ar4.s and ammunition
into samoa"
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