Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-02-07

frdncO-OeTldn war, Ine cOlOnlZaJlOn
craze has been acute in Germany, and
: in the pursuit of this policy of picking
up all islands and sections of continents
not appropriated by any of the other big
powers it is attempted to annex Samoa.
The principal interest which the Uni
ted States has in Samoa is due to the
fact that it is near the course which
vessels take in passing to and from New
Zealand and Australia in plying between
those places and the ports of the Pacific
Coast in this country. The trade of the
United States with Australia is on the
increase, and the holding of Samoa by a
hostile nation might work injury to this
country in case of war. The Nicaragua
Canal, which will probably be c0mplet-
ed within five or six years, when Samoa
will be on direct line of communica-
tiOn between Australia and New Zea-
land ON the one hand and Europe on the
other, will add immensely to the import
ance of the Samoan Islands. The Uni
ted States is not cOloniZing nation
II does not desire to add to its possess
ions, even on the continent, either by
conquest or purchase. Consequently it
is particularly interested in keeping Sa-
mOa Independent of all foreign control
and neutral. Neither does Great Brit
ain show any wish to get control of the
islands. All the powers concerned, ex-
cept Germany, desire that the SamOans
shall select their own rulers and direct
their own affairs.
AS early as 1874 the Samoan people
ca1 a riShf 10 no t0f
would assume protectorate over the
islands. This intelligence was cOmmu-
nicated to this country by A. B. Stein
bergen, a special agent, selected by Pres
ident Grant to visit Samoa. Up to that
time each of the islands had a separate
government, under the head of chief.
In 1875, however, these chiefs chose one
of their number as King, who was to
rule the whole group. This King was
MalietOa. Steinberger became his Prime
Minister. Malietoa remained in undis-
turbed possession of his rights and pre-
negatives until he was depOsed, through
the influence of Germany, about two
years ago, and Tamasese put in his
place.
The events which occurred in the ISL
ands between the accession and depOSi-
ton of Malietoa must be told, in order
that that the happenings of the past
few years at Samoa, and the present sit
uation in that region, may be intelligi-
BILE. The most important of these events
will be told here briefly
THE TREATY WITH SAMOA.
In 1879 the United States entered in
to treaty with Samoa, which was the
first compact ever formed between that !
country and any other By the provis-
ions of that treaty the United States Sc
cured desirable commercial privileges
in the islands. In return for these priv
ileges the United States promised to use
its good offices in favor of Samoa if that
country should get into a controversy
with any foreign Power. A year later
Samoa entered into a similar treaty
with England and Germany. Each of !
the three great nations named agreed |
that the independence and neutrality of |
the islands should be maintained. In |
all these transactions Malietoa was re-
eogniZed as the King of the Samoan |
Islands. Germany is the only one of |
the nations named which has violated |
its obligations.
Germany's encrOachmentS against Sa-
moa began in 1884, when King Malie-
toa was wheedled into forming a sort of |
secret treaty with Germany, which gave /
that country more privileges in Samoa
than either the United States or Eng
land, Bismarck's object being to acquire
a dominance in the affairs of the island,
which the three big Powers named had
previously pledged themselves to pre-
vent. Malietoa, in the same year, sent
a vigorous protest to the German En-
peror against the action of the emmis-
saries on the island. MalietOa was 50
incensed at the Germans, and so strong
" opposed to German methods of in
trigue and arrogance, that he and most
of the Samoan chiefs sent a petition to
Queen Victoria asking that the islands
be annexed to Great Britain, so as to
keep out of German hands. England
declined to accept the responsibility.
The German attempts to get control
of Samoa were continued from 1884
onward, but were defeated by the Amer
lean and British Consuls and other
agents of the two countries. This was
the condition of affairs in 1886, when
Johann Ludwig Brandeis, one of the
most daring and INSCRIPTIONS agents
which Germany has employed in any
of its annexation schemes in recent
years, appeared upon the scene. The
Germans had already selected a native
chief named TamaSeSe, whom they were
holding in reserve to take Malietoa's
place when the time should arrive to car
ry out their schemes to get possession
of Samoa. TamaSese, of course, was
under the influence of Germany. The
in this scheme were adroit-
ly managed by Brandeis.
THE GERMAN PLOT
about the middle of 1887.
The German consul had demanded that
Malietoa should pay a large sum of
money to Germany in compensation for
damages alleged to have been infected
on German citizens in the island by ma
tives Only one day was given the King
in which to pay over the money. The
story of the damages pretended to have
been inflicted on Germans is believed to
have been either false or eXtravagant. No '
details were given or items furnished. I
The allowance of but one day in which /
to pay over the money without even the
proceedings of an examina-
ton into the case before a tribunal of
any sort, was extraordinary, and clearly
revealed the purpose of Germany. Ma
lietoa promised to submit an answer to
the demand in three days. The Ger |
mans did not wait, but the day after /
their demand was made large force of l
soldiers landed from fleet of German I
war ships which had just arrived in Apia, '
Malietoa was deposed and Tamasese {