The Saint Paul globe., 1899-07-31

under tripartite administration, and we
take this opportunity of recording our
opinion that the only natural and normal
plan of government for these islands and
the only system which can assure perma-
nent prosperity and tranquility of gov
ernment is by one power.
ELEMENT OF UNITY.
Eve propose to introduce an element of
unity and Capitalization into the govern
| ment by the appointment of an admin
| istrator chosen from some disinterested
power. He will be assisted by a council
of delegates from the three governments,
who might exercise such consular func-
tions as are necessary in Samoa. We
propose to give this administrator
measure Of authority which, if exercised
by a Just and capable man, should en-
| able him to put an end to many disputes.
I'VE propose that the administrator and
| the three delegates shall form a legislative
council, and we have introduced into the
act several clauses giving them power to
modify existing ordinances We are of
the opinion that the original act of Ber-
lin was drafted and has been construed in
too rigid a manner, and that greater elias
ticity in its provisions would have bene-
fetal effect. We have therefore empow-
cred the council to make such alterations
as it may think fit in the boundaries of
districts, the details of native government
and other matters enumerated in the pro-
posed act.
Thirdly, we hope to create a greater
harmony among the white residents by
abolishing consular jurisdiction. We be-
lieVe that in other parts of the world
such jurisdiction prevails only where the
laws of a country are, for religious or
other reasons, not suitable for application
to foreigners.
I'VE believe that by abolishing the out
ard ION of 10
tions and by submitting all nationalities
to one court and one law, a great adj
vance will be made in the direction of
removing petty rivalry and jealousies
and restoring good relations between the
various white colonies.
OTHER EVILS.
1.-The third class of evils arises from the
lawlessness now prevailing in Samoa out
side the municipality. Murder, theft and
other offenses are left unpunished, and
trade suffers owing to the difficulty Of
affording planters adequate legal protec-
tion in their dealings with the aborigines.
We hope to improve this state of things
by giving the chief justice an enlarged
jurisdiction over all these Islands, to in
clude all cases between natives and for
eigners, as well as the lower grades of
crimes committed by natives against each
other.
somewhat severely with the importation
of arms and ammunition into Samoa. The
prohibition existing in the treaty has be-
come a dead letter, the management of
the customs has been very lax, having
been largely in the hands of merchants
who naturally found it convenient to have
easy regulations. Private commercial
houses have been allowed to discharge
goods direct into their own receiving
sheds without any inspection, and,
though we make no specific accusations,
it is clear that there can be 10 difficulty
in introducing large quantities of arms,
and that the arms were SO introduced.
I'VE therefore feel it essential that the
customs regulations should be stringently
enforced under the supervision of the ad-
ministrator, and that adequate GUS
tens accommodations, with adequate
sheds, shall be provided with as little de-
lay as possible"
The report is signed by Bartlett Tripp,
high commissioner of the United States;
c. N E. Eliot, her Britannia majestys
high commissioner; H. Sternberg, high
commissioner of Germany.