Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-19
THE SAMOAN SITUATION.
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE PO-
LITICAL STATUS.
Mataafa's Followers Discover Their Folly
and Make Overtures For Peace and
Pardon-Continued Unpopularity of
Pilsbach and Cedercrantz.

APIA, Samoa, Feb. Al Via the steam
ship Mariposa to San Francisco.l-Feb.
18.--Some important changes have.
taken place in the political situation
here, and Mataafa's followers have at
last found out that those who have been
advising them that at least one of the
powers (America) would back them in
their difficulties with King Malietoa,
were misleading them, and the natives
have consequently been around to the
ruling village OF Malietoa, asking for
conferences. Malietoa has consented to
allow big meeting to be held at Safatu-
lafai of the Monono and all the Savaii,
on being assured that the meeting was
for the purpose of the breaking up of
the Malie camp. There appears to be no
doubt that the action Of the king in
taking these matters into his own
hands, has had much to do with the
Monono peoples sudden desire to re-
sumo friendly relations with the gov
ernment. The king had sent out orders
to have all the women, children and
stragglers connected with Mataafa's ad-
herents sent to their camp at Malie,
and followed this up by dispatching
| forces to see that this order was carried
out. This was a hardship to the Ma
taafa party, as they were in need of food
for themselves, without women and chill
dren to provide for. There is no doubt
that Mataafa has received information
from his friends that there is no hope
that the United States will assist him.
The news that the three treaty powers
had refused to accept President Pilsach's
resignation was received with some dis
satisfaction, both among the whites and
natives, but the expectation prevails
that with the reconsideration of the
treaty in June, change may come and
that the Office may be abolished. The
president has made one innovation, in
that he announced to the municipal
council that he proposed to keep the
| minutes of their meetings himself, as he
stated that the local paper did not re-
| port them correctly.
Chief Justice Cedercrantz still refuses
to pay duty on his imports. He has
framed number of laws for the use of
| native magistrates, but they came too
| late, as in the present state of the coun-
| try there is no way of enforcing them.
| There have been no cases in his court of
| late.
A large meeting of rate-payers was
held here February I'd to elect COM
mittee to draw up list of suggestions
for alterations in the Berlin treaty as to
| Samoan affairs, and to be forwarded to
| the three treaty powers when the term
| of the treaty expires. One of the chief
suggestions is abolishing the presidents
office.
The United States steamship Iroquois
has gone to Pago-Pago for three weeks,
and the Buzzard, German warship,
leaves on the 9th for New Zealand. It
| is expected that in May there will be
men-of-war here from the three treaty
powers.
American papers have reached here
containing accounts of the attack of
some sailors of the Iroquois made on a
man named Scanlan and number of
natives. The actual occurrence was
an argument in saloon between
Scanlan and some sailors, in which
one OF the latter broke a bottle
over Scanlan's head, and stabbed him
in the breast with broken glass, making
four or five wounds; also breaking one
of Scanlan's fingers. A row followed
and the sailors were beaten off by Scan
lan's friends, one of the gigs crew
having his nose broken with picket.
Scanlan is United States marshal to the
consul-general. The captain of the Iro-
auois made no complaint of ill-treat-
ment Of his men.
It is reported that Robert Lewis
Stevenson, the novelist, intends leaving
Samoa to reside in future at Tahiti.