The herald., 1896-01-17
Leads to an Uprising of the
Business Men
REVENUE GOES FOR SALARY
Foreigners Wish to Be Rid of Presi.
dent Schmidt
Change in the Order Of Affairs Will Be
Made, Even II Force Must
Be Used
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN Francisco, Jan. 16.-The steam
ship Mariposa arrived from Apia this
morning, bringing news of an uprising of
the business men of Samoa against Presi-
dent Schmidt.
Business being very dull in Samoa, the
people, as they do everywhere, criticised
the government. The situation had been
talked over by several leading merchants,
and it being ascertained that S5 per cent
of all municipal and governmental reve-
nues was being paid out in salaries. a
meeting was held by the prominent busi-
ness men, when resolutions, to be SUBJ
mitted to public meeting of all the
electors, were unanimously adopted, and
the resolutions were to the effect:
That, after years of trial, the different
functions of the president, who receives a
compensation from the municipality of
Apia of $4,000 yearly, had proved to be
either wholly unworkable or he was a
failure and q burden upon a small COM
munity. AS adviser to the king he could
never be success. To prove this charge,
the resolution set forth that the king and
government had found it necessary to Pc
tition the three treaty powers for the re-
IllOVdi Oh IT6Sluelt OcIlIllluts
Referring again to President Schmidt the
resolution states that as chairman of the
municipal council his success is just as re-
mote. The committee said that the Samo-
ans were quite capable of conducting their
own affairs, especially where they have the
three consuls as supervisory board.
AS treasurer and custodian of the reve-
nue. it was represented that it did not re-
quire man at salary of $4,000 per an
mum to superintend the running of a little
custom house and oversee a few clerks.
There are plenty of business men in the
place, it was said, who could fill this office,
under bonds, in a far more satisfactory
manner in the regular course of their daily
business for nominal salary.
Furthermore, since the ratification OF the
Berlin treaty, while the foreigners have al
ways complied with its regulations and
paid their taxes, the Samoans have not
done SO, and no attempt whatever has been
made to collect the Samoan capitation tax.
Therefore the treaty powers were requested
to recall President Schmidt and allow their
representatives, the three consuls, to take
the office.
1t was then agreed that communication
be made to the members of the municipal
council in order to allow them to approve
or disapprove of the foregoing. This ac-
ton was taken, but the members refused
to meet the peoples committee, which
drOuS6U SUCH d vi tioStio CiItiCisti
that four out of six members Immediately
resigned. However, the council at a spe-
cial meeting held shortly afterward
unanimously approved of the reso-
lutions of the people, including the
abolition of the office of president and
adding q rider to the effect that the ad val
orem duties should be raised from 2 to 10
per cent. Matters then assumed farcical
aspect, but the people were in earnest and
obtained sufficient number of signatures
of councillors to demand the president to
call special meeting to receive the resig-
nations and issue a writ for new election.
Unfortunately for the people, an error was
made for Tuesday, December %, when it
should have been the 24th. The presi
dents perception was acute enough to de-
tect the error. and he replied, asking which
was the date intended, and has in the mean
time taken a weeks holiday.
So the matter stands, but the people are
in earnest, and, even if force is necessary,
will make change in the existing order of
things.