The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-04-04
The SAMOAN QUESTION.


by LIEUT.. JAMES C.. CREsAP, Z. $. NAVY.
Samoa has been called the d" Para
disc Of the beachcomber'; and If it
be that a tramp can find coutentment
whore vagrancy is no crime, and
where manual labor IS almost I'M
necessary for subsistence, the title is
a just one.
Samoa has never had a stable gov
ernment, for none has yet been able
| to collect the taxes it might impose
nor to enforce the laws it might en-
act. The idea Of a central govern
ment, always inimical to the absolute
1 power of a district chief, never met
with popular favor, nor has any ever
stood unsupported by foreign infu-
ence. 1t is not that the Samoans are
incapable Of self-government, but
that they have not yet risen above
| craftsmanship nor even felt the power
of a protector greater than a district
chief. The national spirit has never
| been more fully aroused nor the ma
/ ton been more united than at the
| present time, when foreign oppres-
sion has softened the animosities of
rival chiefs and prompted a common
/ defense.
Since Christianity established it.
! self there the missionaries have ex-
erted a wholesome influence upon
/ both native government and educa-
| ton; but the counteracting agents
| have been overwhelming. Rivalry
in trade and in the acquisition of
/ land have always been a fruitful
! source of strife among foreigners.
! The claims of Americans, Germans
/ and English for land will aggregate
more than. the area of the whole
! group. La establishing their claims
! the Germans have been more sue
I cessful than the others, as their
methods have been more question
able, and a prepOnderance of inter
ests has encouraged them to estab-
| ish a prevailing influence in the
government. This has been persis-
/ tently resisted by King MaietOa,
and he has leaned for support upon
the sympathies and advice of the
| English and Americans without pro
perly approaching their motives.
The political history Of Samoa is
not only interesting in itself, but
/ also Is necessary to comprehend the
/ sources and nature Of these troubles
us we'll as the relations Of the several
/ treaty powers.
In 1882, a high chief of the Mahe
1 toa family ruled the district Of Apia,
and was, perhaps, recognized as King
/ (tupu( Of Samoa He welcomed the
/ Wesleyan missionaries in that year,
! was baptized by them in the faith,
was christened David and was known
TO his people as Tavlta their pro
uunciatjou OF DAVID. This king
was succeeded by his son MOIi, who
died in 1850 and left the vexed ques-
/ ton of succession to be decided by
/ the two claimants. MalietOa Talavou
( (DrOther) and IahetOa Laupepa
(sOn) The latter. who has been the
chief figure in Samoan government
for twenty years, Is the same with
whom the great Powers have made
treaties and who was deposed in
September, 1887, by the Germans.
In 1869 both these claimants were
proclaimed King by their adherents,
collisions took place Immediately,
and for SIX years predatory war
was carried on without greater re-
suit than the paralyzing of trade and
OF plantation industry.
FINALLY IN 1879 two GREAT faD,i-
lies, that of Malietoa and of Tupua,
effected a compromise and a govern
ment was formed with a dual head.
One OF these two kings was Malietoa
Laupepa.
We have now arrived at the per-
iOd when foreign agents, cOnsuls,
merchants, traders and beach-cOmb-
ers began to take q more active part
in native politics; for a new power,
Germany, had stepped in, and the
question Of annexation became
veritable apple of discord. The con
suls had begun the creation of a gov
eminent when Mr.. Steinberger ar
rived on the United States ship,
''Iuscarora. He superseded their
work, organized new government,
and after a premiership of eight
months made himself so obnoxious
to the King that the latter caused
him to be deported by British yes
sell As a direct result, Laupepa was
deposed by his own Legislative as
sembly, but was promptly restored
by the "Barracouta" after a bloody
battle with the opposition on Null
inuu point, the western shore of Apia
haTbOT.
1t was also at this period that the
Samoan Islands We're twice placed
under the protection of the American
flag; and a brief sketch of these |
events may be Of interest to the ma