The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
WARD POLITICS In SAMOA.
NOW PARKER OF NEW JERSEY RAN
FOR ALDERMAN AND WON.

r~ressive InteIlects as to stine Opposition
and Make Victory Sure from the First.
II seems 70 be Fixed In the very nature OF po-
,tlcal things that the party Of progress is the
ono to make its campaign on broad and ma
,ional issues. while the party which is always
acting as a drag on earnest effort should select
only local issues for Its fight. That political
nrinciple was shown when Parker ran for Al
derman In Apia. He made his campaign on
national issues. and he won his seat in the Mu-
ricipal Council OF Apia, which lie as much OF an
Alderman as a man can be In Samoa. II moro
proof we're necessary 1t could be found in the
remark Of the victor which he made for the
purpose OF practice in the speech OF statesmen:
" II were my intention TO make this campaign
q national issue, which 1 did. and l won.
otherwise. which IL were not, 1t most likely
would not"
II was only By accident that Parker ran for
Alderman: It was the result OF a long chain Of
events which had no political Significance in
themselves. yet which had a political result. It
IA n good deal to venture to say Of anything In
Samoa that 1t has no political significance. for
the three nationalities can manage to turn
EVERYTHING to account. Perhaps the real be-
ginning was when Wallwork on Savaii had ono
of those remarkable South Sea visions of future
prosperjty. and started in to build the first
steam vessel Of the group. That used up
all his resources. and no had to get
Tom Meredith to invest in tho under
taking. The steamship was q beauty to look
At. but that was all. She would not steam
for a whole day at a time. and she would not
sail because she was built to steam. In the
hone OF getting some OF his money out OF the
venture Tom Meredith decided to sail the
vessel down to New Britain. where his. sister-
in-law lived, Queen Emma. who was wealthy
in plantations. He thought by keeping her
engines to use Just in sight Of Queen Emma's
harbor he might make a sale. That led to his
presenting his resignation as a member OF the
Municipal Council and the calling of a special
election to ill the vacancy. 1t was then that
Parker made his campaign. a campaign that
should not be allowed to escape permanent
record on the historic page.
As a general thing. nobody on the beach ever
worked up enthusiasm over these elections
when they came in regular course Of biennial
intervals. still less interest was manifested
over such special elections as were called. TIL
treaty had fixed things in such a way that cleo
tons were scarcely necessary. The Matafele
ward could always be counted on to return
three out OF the six councillors. the ward being
bounded by the German consulate at one end
VI lIC bthCh IN Nllo NO ltll u III az lUC Otitl.
The Apia ward held almost all of the American
and British population, and there never had
been any objection to allowing it to return
councillors of those national Affiliations. With
the Mataiele delegation and the German Presi-
dent OF the municipality nominated by concert
OF the powers the other nationalities must al
ways have a minority in the local government.
Ever since the municipality had been broug hit
into being by the treaty. the Apia ward had al
ways been represented by two British and one
American. AS the minority in which that ward
found itself was always u HOPELESS one. it really
mattered very little what the nationality OF its
representatives might he.
Meredith was one OF the British members.
Under ordinary conditions his successor should
be chosen from the same nationality. But
Parker upset all ordinary conditions. He had
lived away from America for many years. ever
since a seafaring chance had brought him to
Samoa. where he had elected to remain. But he
was Just as American as though he had never
deserted the profession of digging CLANS on
the Shrewsbury River. TO which he had been
brought up. He was not only an American. but
islanders were incapable OF appreciating such
fine shades of distinction he was Obliged to
concentrate all the enthusiasm in his nature on
the easily comprehended fact OF his American
ism. 1t burst forth in this crisis Of the Coun-
Gil election, u crisis which would have passed
ulHollCtu Al lt u " u lie uISCONeTJ.
What | want to know" said Parker in car
Iying on a conversation with other statesmen
Fl 4d fS9 lone 6eaG viii t Ee4 tp | t waH states to kn boz e Is taisi
with getting nothing here in Samoa. Look at
the Germans, They've got the majority in the
most all the offices. Look at the Americans.
what have we got? We've got the pilot and
we've got one policeman: Is that right?
whole shooting match That's what / want to
Know Now is the time Tor US TO strike for our
liberties, same as we used to do. They ought
70 elect another American Alderman. The
British hGye had things their own way long
ehough. We want to have two. Americans on
that Council We want TO show them that we're
somebody
There had been no political raneor, hitherto.
The British did have Il majority of the locally
appointed offlceholders. but no one had given
the matter a second thought or had limited that
me apportionment was at NIL unfair. The other
lead 10 the customary stimulating application.
arc TOOK the matter up IN Il tone which en-
r fSS, <. the prominent american to think
brought 70 announce himself. Parker him
Rei positively expressed himself as hay
iAng spoken as a di?inteIesled citizen. He
all not want any office, They all knew that
ri, business took apail his time and he could
thry waited Il younger man. who could be more
active In looking out for the municipality. OF
EoHtI TAKE i that was q different matter.
Iarker said. Every man ought to sacrifice him.
s'I Ipr the puUIlc good. In fact. he was in the
hands Of his friends, and his friends would
know what to do.
The statesmen then present were a mixed
~aSsemhiagc. OF British and Germans. and posi-
ny ga not fully appreciate the tull significance
q, phrker being IN the hands of his friends.
lhey had some more with him-that seemed
~ act OF friendship: but 1t was clear that IL
they were the only friends in whose hands
rarRer was the result would have no political
va'ue' SO Parker left them to such deliberations
a. ne place and the foregoing conversation
might arouse, He gathered himself into his
cart behind the patient horse. and pushed on
III search OF more qualified electors OF the ward.
ihere is no lack Of places on the beach where
Roiltcs may be discussed. and at each In turn
ttafRer delivered himself of opinions OF much
t,he same tenor; 1t was noticed after n timo
.hlat considerable acrimony was developing,
NJ war Of 1872 and the Revolution were occu-
n2.ng conspicuous positions and the Declara-
,Hoh 81 Independence was looming large upon
me political horizon. Now, Apia has had trou- |
i Hes enough OF its own without raking history
t tHHs Others. So a prudent citizen maneuvred
Ike horse aud, cart until they were turned In
~ direction OF home, tied the reins carefully
intp,Tont the whipstock and started tho new po-
niicai boom away from the beach. The horse. |
,TtSe through a long experience Of such situa-
v w paced gravoly and carefully on the home
ni H. road and eventually delivered the am
where he woke up. ~
anat the idea was somewhat more than a
hhcIIs fancy was made manifest next dAy when