Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-14
RULING WITH A HIGH HAND.
How Natives and Residents of the Marshall
Islands are Oppressed.

A San Francisco special says: News from
the Marshall islands shows that the Ger
mans there are carrying on the same game
they played in Samoa, and the result pro-
misses soon to be au explosion as there
was in Apa In fact, the injustice COM
planned of by American and English
traders in Apia is tritiing compared with
what other merchants have had 10 suffer
from German greed and intolerance at
Jaluit, the chief port of the Marshall
islands. American firms have done large
business in Shells sponges, and coral, but
they are gradually being driven out. Jaluit
Geselleschaft is the name of the German
company, which is backed by the German
Consul and which practically rules the
islands. A leading merchant who has just
returned from the islands says:
THE natives are much dissatisfied, but
they are powerless, as the sale of firearms
is prohibited. They have been so badly
treated by the German company and It's
agents that they refuse to deal with Ger
mans except when forced to. For this rea-
son American traders enjoy good trade
with the natives, and American goods are
in demand. few years ago Peruvian
and Gillian coin was the currency of the
islands, and was brought there by
the German company In large guam
titles and passed at the same value
as American coin. Recently German au-
thoritles declared German coin legal ten
der. Inhabitants of the islands hold Pc
ruvian and CHILEAN coin, but the German
company now refuses 10 accept 1t except At
a discount of 3713 per cent. The natives
experienced considerable loss by this ac-
ton, still further by the German company
refusing them credit. They are not al
lowed to purchase anything from The COM
pany with coin, but must gather copra or
other products TO pay for the little mer-
h., Ice 4 b.,xr hax oil
tied from renting their land. besides suffer
ing the results of a heavy tax which is i'm
posed upon them by the German commits
sioner. Foreigners are at the mercy Of the
Germans. Taxation Is the Germans prlnci-
pal weapon in destroying our commercial
interests with the islands. An annual tax
of IS is levied on every foreign subject on
the islands, and every trading vessel
other than those Of the German company
is compelled TO pay $3.50 on each trip
to the islands before it can land men or
cargo. In addition to this each trader has
TO pay an annual license of $40. All COM
mercial firms doing business to the extent
of Si25.0OO are taxed $500 annually.
Firms carrying on smaller business are
taxed $3.50 year, The natives are COM
PEELED 90 pay over TO German authorities
$4,000 annually, but not in currency, as
they would prefer to do. They are forced
to pay the amount in copra 10 the German
company at the rate of one cent per pound,
making total of 200, 900 pounds.
THE American firm of A. Crawford a
Co. has from year TO year rented a
tract of land sufficiently large TO carry on
their business, but owing 70 a recent law
passed by the commission the firm is una
BILE TO renew the lease and as a consequence
their business has suffered. IL the United
States Government does not take action in
the protection of its interests in these
islands few years will witness the retire
ment of the American firm and the issuing
of an order by the German Commissioner
prohibiting trading there.
Talk about Commissioner Knappe, at
Samoa, why his actions were nothing
compared 10 those Of the Commissioner at
Jaluit. The natives claim that the United
States promised them protection, and al
though they bear a friendly feeling for
Americans they are surprised that they are
not treated with the same consideration as
the Samoans. The domineering ways Of
the Germans viii surely result in trouble.
Several American shipmasters have already
defied the German Commissioner and bad
feeling exists between all Americans visit
ing the islands and himself