St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-04-07
ABOUT SAMOA.
Hon. H. c. Ide Gives Some Account of
his Experience There.

Henry c. Ide, Reconnaissance to
Samoa. gave a lecture-or talk, as
he saw fit to call thunder the aus
pices of the Y. M. c. 4. members
course, and described Samoan life
and customs as he saw them. We
believe we speak the sentiment of all
present when we say that the lecture
was very interesting, instructlng
while it entertained, and giving our
people many facts worth remember
ing about those islands in the Pacific
ocean 5000 miles from ST. Johnsbury.
Mr. Ide was introduced by Arthur
F. Stone He told the audience some
of the reasons why it was necessary
for himself and the other commits
sioners to go to Samoa, and ex
planned the great Importance of
maintaining the neutrality ofSamoan
ground, without which the United
States would be entirely shut out
from the Pacific ocean and unable
even to secure a cOaling station ex-
cept bv the courtesy of some other
nation-which could not always be
relied upon. 1t was an absolute ne
cessity, he said, that this country
have privileges at Samoa hence the
treaty with the German md English
powers and the consequent duties
devOlving upon the three commits
sioners. In this connection he gave
the audience a pleasant idea of the
friendly feeling which the Samoan
people had for the United States and
their appreciation of all the latter
had done in their behalf.
The speaker described the journey
from San Francisco to Samoa, not
forgetting to mention his delight at
finding at Honolulu, en- route,
complete set of Vermont Reports,
which proved a pleasant reminder to
him of home and his associate attor-
neys. He spoke ofthe peculiar feeling
he had when, on arriving at
Samoa in the night, he found him
self the only passenger to be rowed
from the steamer to the government
boat by motley crew of what he
then looked upon as naked savages,"
and said he felt as though he was a
good ways from home. But he could
not speak in too high terms of the
cordial and very hospitable reception
accorded him by these people to
whom he had been officially sent,
and among whom he was to live for
some little time. Taking Mr. Ide's
word for it-and he certainly had
chance enough to form an opinion
politeness and friendship are promi-
nent traits of the Samoans, which
might well be copied by many resi-
dents of much more so-called civil
lized countries.
The speaker gave some amusing re-
suits of the great difference in time be-
tween this country and Samoa told
of the free open air life which the ma
tives there indulge in and by which
they are developed into perfect speci-
mems of men and women, physically;
told of their amusements, and said
that they did little or no work, for
there was little or no work to be
done; described the beauties of tropi-
cal scenery and the first impressions
made thereby upon travellers from
this region; referred to that commun-
ism which makes industry useless,
and said that the native can step to
palm tree get what he wants to eat,
to drink and to wear. Mr.. Ide had
something to say about Samoa as a
missionary field, and emphasized the
vast amount of good already done
there by the spread of Christianity.
Some most remarkable changes have
thus been affected, and in nearly or
quite every family in Samoa Chris
tians may be found.
In closing MT. 1Oe ucScTlDeu the
hurricane in the harbor of Apia, in
March, 1889, by which United States
vessels were driven hclplessly upon
the coral reefs and, many lives lost;
he also portrayed the heroism of the
natives on that occasion, through
whose efforts large number of sail
ors were rescued from DEATH
The lecture was closely listened to-,
and heartily applauded at frequent
intervals. 1t will be remen bered for
some time to come as one of the
pleasantest events of the Y. M. c.
-er;eS Me- Ide had 4 LARGE num-