, 1889-02-07
LIFE IN SAMOA.

Now that these islands are the cen
ter of attraction for the whole worIC
it vii not be amiss to give our read
ers an idea of how life is spent in the
Samoan Islands, particularly as some
of the cruisers which may some day
go there will be built at the POrt
Townsend navy yard.
The old native government of SamoG
was a limited monarchy with limit
ed powers. At times there was one
King, but more often two or more
ruling over different parts of the
group, whose authority was recog-
nized most completely in times oi
war The King was surrounded by
group of high chiefs chosen by
himself. Each village had its hered
itary chiefs to supervise its affairs in
toleAble agreement with the wishes
of the people, that agreement being
arrived at after a sort of informal
meeting and discuss IN.
The property of tAe people is held
on practically communistic princi-
pies. A village looks upon itself in
the light of a family, and all are fed
from the lands of the different fam
lies composing the village. Barely
two days work per week on their
plantations fully suffices for supply
ing their needs A Samoan in want
is not to be found. The villages of
today in Samoa are, with very few
exceptions, all situated on the sea-
coast; although the chiefs and fami-
lies own the land in the interior,
which is mainly dense bush. Dur
ing the last half century English,
Germans and Americans have set
tied in Samoa, and have been in com
mercial relations with the people, on
one side buying and shipping to
their respective countries the natur.
al products of Samoa, and, on the
other side, importing from the
older countries various stores with
which to supply one another as we'll
as the ever rgrowing needs of the ma
tiSe population. The first stage of
commerce has been followed by a
second. Some of the so-called for
eigners have not been satisfied with
simply purchasing the products of
the country, but have been anxious
to utilize the climate and soil of
Samoa by cultivating other crops of
greater value than those produced
from time immemorial by the Samo'
ans. To do this it was necessary to ac-
quire the use of land, and the chiefs,
not using the inland country, have
not been unwilling to part with large
sections, and in later times to mort
gage and sell even some of those on
the sea-coast. The Samoan were,
however, unwilling to act as laborers
for the foreigners in clearing and de-
veloping these lands. Their wants
were supplied, and therefor they felt
no necessity to work for others;
though it is only right to say that,
whenever their chiefs of the village
call upon the villagers to execute
some piece of work intended for the
common good, all respond
Under these circumstances the for
eigners have imported laborers from
from other islands of Polynesia into
Samoa, notably from Solomon Is
lands and Nine.
Up to the introduction of the for
eign element, the chiefs had real
authority in their respective villages
and districts; but with this intro
duction, especially remembering
that the foreign element has been
under but slight control, the author
ity of the native chiefs has been re-
duced and weakened. Add to this
the fact that many chiefs have sold
and mortgaged their lands to for
eIgners, and we can well realize that
SO far as regards native government
in Samoa the chiefs and people fee
themselves today in very dlfficnl
position. In this position there i!
little doubt they would hail, at any
rate at first, with thankfulness, the
advent of strong power who wouls
administer their affairs, especially i
the administration partook of the pa
ternal character.