The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-06

News from Germany during the last week
indicates that some of the war-like German
editors have been needessy stirred from a
kind of nightmare, in which they imagined
they saw Teutonic interests In Samoa pass
ing into the hands of greedy Americans.
These belligerent editors, who fight big bat
ties with their pens with their humdrum as
saults on American meats, oils, bicycles and
other products which they fear are crowd
ing German manufacturers out of business,
beginning to grow vapid, turned with alac-
rity to the much-vexed Samoan question.
They evidently took their cue frcm the re-
cent report Of United States Consul General
James II. Mulligan to the department of
state. in which he characterized the control
OF Samoa by the tripartite arrangement be-
tween the United States. Great Britain and
Germany a dismal, disgraceful failure.
Samoa, he said. was rapidly sliding back to
barbarism; King Malietoa was sitting upon
throne of paper and had to be supported by
relatives who take in washing; the much
vaunted protectorate of the three great civil
lied nations over the islands was in his
opinion-based upon personal observations
burlesque and a shame to all parties con-
cerned.
In this frank avowal of conditions that
exist in Samoa the German press professed
to discover. on reading between the lines.
an American intrigue, the ultimate object of
which was the annexation of Samoa, and
the more hysterical of the writer's called
loudly on their home government for prompt
and decisive action to protect German inter-
ests and Illustrate this scheme of aggrandize-
ment plotted and Matched by ayaricieus Yam
KEGS s}.a Is %
The political condition Of Samoa was once
aptly described of chronic anarchy
tempered by fear of foreign men-of-war.
From the best information obtainable 1t is
evident that the same description can with
fitness be applied today King Malietoa once
plaintively remarked that he and his par
lament made plenty of excellent laws. but
that no one took the smallest notice of them
And so 1t is at the present time The so
called king is mere puppet The govern
ment is practically in the hands of the three
consuls representing the three interested
powers. Nothing can be done until all three
have been consulted and at least two of them
come to an agreement. Naturally each one
is jealous Of the interests of the government
he represents and quick to attribute some
clandestine plot to the others.
1t is news to be informed at this late
day that the triple-headed protectorate over
Samoa is a farce and humbug; that NAL
ietoa is reignng ever comic opera king
dom, unable to collect mere than half his
salary OF $50 month; that the natives un.
der = pernicious system are degenerating;
that the fair isles of the south seas are plum
dered to provide fat salaries for few for
eign officials, and that prompt and decisive
action is required from some source to rescue
the Samoans from return to barbarism
These facts that have been an open book
for several years. 1t has repeatedly been
shown that the tripartite agreement hes never
given particular satisfaction TO any of the par
tics concerned and probably least Of all to
the unfortunate natives. who are said to be
governed to DEATH
The monarchy OF Somoa was declared to be
Independent and neutral By treaty conclud-
ed at the Samoan conference IN Berlin. June
A. 1883. hetween Germany. Great Britain and
the Cnitaa Statssa King Mal:etoa Laupeaa.
who had Seen deb6fted during tke German
occupation Was Eestered Dec. le. 1854 The