Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-05
DISSATISFACTION An SAMOA.
Fear. That Another Civil War May
Break Out There.

DTtNA OUN AueFGs
SAN Francisco. .Eug. 8. -Advices
from Apia, Samoa. under date of July
Is, say:
Great dissatisfaction was expressed
here last week, both by the foreign resi-
dents and loyal natives, on receipt of
the news by steamer from New Zealand
that America, England and Germany
had further delayed the appointment of
chief justice and president of the
municipal board, and that the matter
had been referred to the King of Sweden.
The new government of Samoa is but
little further advanced than it was two
years ago, notwithstanding the fact that
the Berlin conference concluded its
labors more than year ago and formed
treaty, which King Malietoa and the
chiefs of Samoa assented to last Febru-
ary.
The only step which has been taken
towards the new order of affairs is the
recent appointment of a collector of
customs by three consuls, sitting as a
consular board, and even this appoint
ment does not give satisfaction, as it is
generally believed that though the con-
suls have the power to make the ap-
pointment, they have no power to en-
force the payment of duties. The Ger
man trading firm, the largest CONNER
cial organization on the islands, already
pays its duties under protest
The native chiefs say that in defer
ence to a request of the consuls they as
sented to the treaty after consdera-
ton ofonly twenty-four hours, and they
complain bitterly that no appointments
have been made since then, and that
nothing has apparently been done to-
wards the establishment of the new gov
ernment. Government by consular
board is regarded here as the most unde-
sirable form that could be devised. Ow-
ing to the present unsettled condition of
affairs in Samoa, and the apparent
slight probability of any immediate
action on the part of the three powers,
it is believed here that trouble is immi-
nent.
Whether or not this trouble will reach
the proportions of another civil war sim
liar to the one which was experienced
two years ago, it is at present difficult
to state; but the same indications are
given now that were manifested before
the last war. It is believed that the
trouble at this time would come from
the Mataafa party, which has been gain
ing in strength recently, the failure of
the three powers having tended to shake
the faith of many Of Malietoas support
ers. Mataafa himself went to Savaii,
the largest island of the group, short
time ago, and since his return 1t has
been learned that at least one-half Of the
chiefs there are in his favor.
Malietoa's followers are, of course,
stronger, and in the event of another
war, it is thought they would be ulti-
mately successful, but the mere prospect
of another conflict is dreaded by all the
foreign residents. Tamasese. who was
supported by the Germans two years
ago, is apparently not engaged in any
strife, and he is said to be enlisting the
sympathy not only of the white popula-
ton, but also of the most intelligent por-
ton of Malietoa's party. Unsuccessful
overtures are believed to have been made
to him by Mataafa's followers.
King Malietoa and his chiefs regard
the situation as so serious that they have
decided to request the three consuls to
appoint an adviser to the kiI,g, and they
have selected William Blackjack. who
was the American consular representa-
tive here during the last war, as the ad-
wiser whom they desire. 1t is his inten-
ton to bring the matter before the con-
sular board in few days. The only
man-of-war at Apia now is the United
States steamship Mohican. Trade on
the islands is utterly stagnant. The
natives have eaten nearly all the cocoa
nuts, and the copra crop, which is the
chief resource of the country, is likely
to prove failure.