Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-02

the Germans commenced to scheme for
their possession just rs the Germans are
now doing in Samoa First, by melting
a faction of natives against the govern
ment, supporting and supplying arms
and ammunition 10 the Insurgents. Tn
der these conditsons either the one or the
other party is induced TO seek the protec-
ton OF those instigating the war. The
action of the United States government,
on the contrary was 70 foster and
strengthen the native government, ex-
pressing no wish by word or action TO
take away the country from its rightful
owners.
Whilst we did not take possession of
the Sandwich islands, we stood TO the
front and with Christian policy forbade
any European country from bouncing
down upon them. This disinterested con-
duet of our government toward the Sand
witch islands Is part Of the teachings of
natives throughout all the principal
islands Native missionaries are sent
out by the white missions in the Sand
witch islands and have carried the glow
ing news of the native government of
their islands under the friendly eye Of the
American government. In reverse of
the kindly treatment by the Americans
is the harsh, innuman policy of the En-
gliSh, French and Germans.
EFFECTS OF GERMAN INFLUENCE.
The theory is simple but effective. IN
stigate war among the natives and aid and
abet the revolving side, who when driven
TO extremes seek the protectorate, which
means absolute possession by the Chris
tan nation which has stirred up the strife.
As in the case of the Samoans, the revolt
ing party is that led by Tamasese and
backed by the Germans Tamasese
claims to be the rightful king, which
probably would never have occurred to
him had the Germans not put it into his
head.
Proteetorate leads ut once into absolute
possession ana the native is put to work
on the roads and other work to which he
is totally unaccustomed. The result is
the destruction and debasement of the
men and women, whose island homes are
seized, and the production III many cases
of race of white vagabonds much in
ferior to the native.
The contrast between such treatment
and the course Of the United States with
the Sandwich Islands is the cause of the
friendly feeling for us, which. in the
Samoan, is q confidence amounting to
affection. 4 part of the tactics of the
Germans is to flood their newspapers with
reported outrages by Americans. On the
very face of these reports is the stamp of
falsehood, as the following will show:
In 1881 Tamasese signed an acknOwl-
edgement that Malietoa was the rlghtful
king. The document was signed on
board an American man-of-war and wit
messed by the consuls and many natives.
Yet the Germans are now putting this
man forward as king, with armed assist
ance, and accuse the Americans Of inter-
ference because they Will not also recog-
niZe the fraud.
With the exception of the islands be-
ing entirely American in their sentiments
which the Germans cannot overcome,
this is the only cause of complaints yet,
their papers are teeming with abuse of
us, while we are supposed to say nothing
about the interruption of American trade
in the islands, which is carried on through
our citizens doing business with Califor-
mia.
The position Of the English in regard to
the islands is an undoubted grasping de- |
sire for their possession and fear of their
going into other hands. Their timldIty
toward the Germans prevents bold as
sertion of her designs and leads her into |
week siding with the Americans. AT |
the first sign of resentment by the Ger |
mans they unhesitatingly betray the !
Americans, and their newspapers COM |
mence to publish false statements in re- |
gard to us.
Since both the Germans and English |
are playing the same game in the seizure |
of islands in the Pacific, there is a sym |
pathy, at least Of purpose, which has |
heretofore influenced the English to de- |
ceive the Americans, and although they |
have in manner sided at time with US,
they have so often violated the confidence /
of our people III the islands that it is al
most looked upon now as q fixed scheme
from the commencement to betray their
trust at critical moment.
The Samoans are not ignorant savages,
but in many cases educated men. 1t may
sound strange, but nevertheless true,
that a greater per cent. of the Samoans
can read and write than is the case with
the population of this very city; more
than half the population of Samoa are
Christians who read their Bible and live
within its teachings.