The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-01-31
THE TROUBLE AT SAMOA.
WHITNEY'S INSTRUCTIONS TO ADM
RAJ KIMBERLY AT PANAMA.
Will Protest Against the Sutjugation OF
the Native Somoan Government by Ger
many-History of Germany's Scheme to
Gain the Islands.


many-History of Germany's Scheme to
Gain the Islands.
Washington ID. CO. speciall
The account of the outrages upon Ameri-
cans in Samoa and the insults offered the
American flag by the Germans has been
read here with absorbing interest, and the
strongest indignation is expressed against
the course of the German Government in
suffering the outrages to be perpetrated
without an instant effort to punish their
authors. The outcome is likely to be some
free expression OF the sense of both houses
OF Congress.
A San Francisco telegram states that the
United States men, of-war Vandalia and the
Trenton have started for the islands. 1t is
believed that six weeks will be occupied by
the Trenton and Vandalia in making the
run to Samoa, Thus the Nipsic will be the
only vessel representing the United States
Government at those islands from this time
until after the 4th Of next March. The
Trenton sailed from Panama about week
ago. but the Vandalia is a faster vessel and
will take a more direct route than the
Trenton and will probably reach Samoa
about as soon as the latter ship.
Troubles have existed among the Samoans
since 1860. In that year the German Com
mercial and Plantation Society at Apia, or.
rather, it's predecessor. the firm of Code
troy, of Hamburg. stood on the side Of
most distinguished families of Samoa.
Throughout the succeeding twenty years
the foreigners who settled in Samoa
Americans. English and Germans-sought,
Dy taking sides with or against Mali
etoa, to strengthen respect for their re-
spective nations, and thereby increase their
commerce. In 1878 the United States, which
had previously obtained a concession of
magnificent harbor in the Samoan Islands
and established coaling station there.
made treaty with Samoa. The To-
cal government in 1879 being in a
state of great confusion, Sir Arthur Cor
don, as Queen Vctoria's Commissioner
in the Western Pacific. established King
Mahetoa firmly on the throne and issued a,
proclamation. This proclamation was fol-
lowed by treaty with Malietoa, dated Aug.
Is, 1879. In the same year Germany also
made treaty with Malietoa. The treaties
entered into between the United States,
Great Britain, Germany. and Samoa were
treaties OF friendship and reciprocity.
agreed to for the purpose Of promot-
ing the trade which American, English,
and German merchants had gone to the
j remote Samoan islands to establish. Tt
was understood and agreed upon among the
treaty powers that the independence and
neutrality of these islands should be for
ever preserved. While America and En-
gland have remained consistent to the
treaty obligations, and have recognized
Malietoa as the legitimate ruler, the policy
OF the Germans has been a WaVering one
In the autumn of 1886 q German named
Brandeis appeared in Apia. The public was
given to understand that he was i'll the ser
vice OF the German Commercial and Planta-
ton Society. Among the employees of this
firm, however, it was known that he had
been selected to be the Minister of
Malietoas rival, Tamasese. Brandeis
at once began to study local con-
ditions, and worked at times at the Ger
man consulate, made himself familiar with
the business and social relations of Apia,
and then went to the home Of Tamasese, in
| the immediate vicinity of the great cotton
and cocoa plantation OF the German Com
mercial and Plantation Society. There a
house was built and furnished by this So
ciety for Brandeis, and there he stayed.
without it being publicly known, as
the adviser of Tamasese. and perfect
ing himself in the Samoan language.
Tamasese and his adherents were then
amply supplied with arms and NUM-
tions. At the beginning Of 1887. within q
brief period. hundreds of muskets were
sent through the German Commercial and
Plantation Society and through Brandeis
to Tamasese's party. A little later q Ger
man fleet OF four or five ships was at anchor
in the harbor of Apia. -Four days later the
German Consul wrote to Malietoa complain
ing that German settlers had been attacked
by the natives ON March % of that year
and that from time TO time during the
previous four years the German plantations
had been damaged to the amount of thou
sands OF dollars year. A heavy demand
for compensation Was made for the dam
age to the plantations, without a single
item of particulars being given to the
Samoan King. The monstrous demand
was made that the sum claimed for COM
pensation should be paid the next day-a
demand which. in such a coun-
try it was practically impossible to
meet. The King wrote, promising an
answer in three days, and the reply
given by the German commander was
the landing on the next day of 700 troops
from his squadron, and the issuing of q
proclamation in the name OF the Govern
ment of Germany, declaring Tamasese King
of Samoa. At the same time MaIietoa was
depOrted, first to Hamburg, then to Bremer-
haven, was lodged and boarded under
police supervision at Lehr, a suburb of
Bremerhaven, and then Was taken to Aus
tralia on board the steamship Neekar by a
German naval officer.
The native opposition to Tamasese. or to
the Brandeis- Tamasese Government. as it is
called reached it's climax on Sept. 8. 1888,
on which date they crowned Mataafa,
legitimate successor of Malietoa, King
of Samoa, with the title of Maletoa.
Tooa Mataafa. Notices of this event
were at once sent to the American.
English, and German conssIls, the French
priest. and to TamaSese. Mataafa is still at
the head of the Government. and is doing
all in his power to keep it out of the hands
of Tamasese and his German allies. The
position of the United States to-day is con-
tanned in the following instructions which
Secretary Whitney telegraphed to Admiral
Kimberly at Panama on Jan. IL:
You will at once proceed to Samoa and
extend full protection to American inter-
ests, citizens, and property. You will con-
suit with the American Vice Consul, exam
inc his archives, and otherwise inform
yourself as to the situation and all recent
occurrences. You will protest against the
subjugation of the native Samoan Govern
ment by Germany as in violation of positive
agreement and understanding between the
treaty powers. but inform the representa-
tives of the British and German Govern
ments of your readiness TO cooperate in
causing all treaty rights to be respected,
basis of a recognition of Samoan rights to
independence; endeavor to prevent extreme
measures against the Samoans.''
The coprah trade of Samoa seems to be
the cause OF all the present trouble. Co.
prah, the dried kernel of the cocoanut. is
the staple commodity of the Samoan Isl
ands. as it is of all the islands of the West
ern Pacific. In 1885 the exports of this arti-
Gle for German account were estimated at
the value of 1922, 742. The com petition OF
four American houses has greatly irritated
the German traders. their profits being
thereby much decreased.