Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-30
The Samoan Affair.

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and Germany is attracting much at
tention, and few excited individuals
talk about war as a result, but Their,
is no probability Of "A war, as the peo'
pie Of both countries are too sensibl,
to murder each other because there i.
difference of opinion in regard to the
possession of the islands.
The Navigators', or Samoan Islands
are in the Pacific Ocean, about 4,50C
miles southwest of San Francisco.
The islands are said to be nine in
number, the principal ones being call.
ed Mauna, Tutuila, Ufolu and Savaii
The area Of all the islands is placed
at 1850 square miles. The islands
are mountainous and the soil fertile
Principal products, coffee, sugar, CO.
coanuts and bananas. The people are
reported to believe in one supreme
God, and nearly all the younger gen.
Grafton can read their own language,
which has been reduced to written form
by missionaries.
An exchange says The soil is of
extraordinary fertility, the climate de-
lightful beyond language to describe,
and there is room for great devel-
opment in the line Of tropical pro-
ducts. AT present the natives live al
most without labor on natures boun-
ties +; they are tall and splendidly
formed race, clearly and peaceful and
profess a sort of christianity. AS the
islands are Oh the direct line from
San Francisco to New Zealand and
Australia, the United States, 16 years
ago, by treaty, obtained coaling sta
ton, and in return agreed to help the
Samoans if they became involved
with any foreign power
During the past few years Germany
has been engaged in acquiring terri.
tory in various parts of the world
The system followed is the one usual.
ly adopted by Europeans nations,
which consists in considering all is
lands vacant unless owned by some
European nation. The rights of ma
tives to the lands they own and in
herited from their fathers is not con.
sidered. The Samoan Islands were
not owned by any nation. The peo-
pie there have their own government
and king. Germany thought this a
good chance to obtain coaling place
in the Pacific Ocean. Her agents
stirred up rebellion among the ma
tives, the regular king was deposed,
the Germans put up native ruler Of
their own, and, in reality, took possess
sion of the islands. Instruction fol-
lowed and has resulted in destruc-
tive guerrilla war that filled the is
lands with lawlessness and tunult.
America protested against the acts
of the German agents. War vessels
from Germany, England and Ameri-
ca have been constantly stationed
there since the trouble began. Ger
man war vessels have bombarded and
burned some of the villages, and it is
said they compelled all Americans to
haul down their flags, except the one
over the consulate.
AS regards the treaty there is dis
pute. German official newspapers de-
ny the existence of any treaty pre-
GLIDING any European power from
or seeking to acquire as
tendency in Samoa, and states that
the treaty provides that Samoa shall
concede to America, England and
Germany equal rights.
The version of the treaty as claim
ed by this country is that it provides
for the independence of Samoa, and
President Cleveland, in his message
to Congress, had the following to say
on the subject
Acting within the restraints which
our Constitution and laws have placed
upon executive power, have insisted
that the autonomy and independence
of Samoa should be scrupulously pre-
served according to the treaties made
with Samoa by Germany, Great
Britain and the United States, and
their agreements and understanding
with each other. | have protested
against every act apparently tending
in an opposite direction, and during
the existence of internal disturbance
one or more vessels of war have been
kept in Samoan waters to protect
American citizens and property.
n Oo.t IL j.. o.