Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor, in
obedience to instructions received, most respectfully herewith to
transmit to you a copy of a memorandum relative to the execution of the
Samoan general act.
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum.
(1) The resolution of the Berlin conference (contained in articles
iv and vii
of the general act) relative to the Samoa Islands, concerning the
prohibitions to sell land, to import and sell arms and munitions of
war, and to sell spirituous liquors, have received binding force,
through Samoan laws of December 18, 1889, for Samoans and other
natives of the South Sea Islands.
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In order to effect the same thing for the subjects and citizens of
the signatory powers, the three consuls will have to be instructed
to issue similar prohibitions as regards their respective countrymen
by means of orders, provided such prohibitory orders have not
already been issued.
(2) The same consuls will further have to be instructed to divide the
municipal district into election districts in order to enable the
chief justice, immediately after assuming the duties of his office,
to cause the election to be held and the local government to be
inaugurated, according, to article v,
section 6, of the act.
(3) It seems desirable, especially for financial reasons, that the
stipulations of article vi of the treaty
should be enforced before the final organization of the municipal
government, which, according to article v,
sections 5 and 6, of the act, can not take place until after the
appointment and inauguration of the chief justice and the presiding
officer of the municipal council.
To this end it will be advisable to authorize the three consuls, in
concert with the Samoan Government, to fix at once, by public
proclamation, an early day for the commencement of the collection of
taxes and customs duties, and to appoint, provisionally, the
necessary officers for the collection and management of the revenue
until the municipal council shall have assumed control.
(4) As regards the officers to be appointed by the three treaty
powers, the office of chief justice should be filled first. A person
meeting the requirements of article iii,
section 2, of the general act might most appropriately be nominated
for this position by the Royal Government of Great Britain.
