The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-25

"a
New York Sun: Once upon time
there was In Washington shost minor
official who described himself as "a
bigger man than cid Grant" Making
the necessary allowances tor the tropi-
cal and monarchIcal surroundings. that
phrase describes the position OF the
president, OF the municipality OF Apia,
the present holder Of which office, DR..
Raffel Is asserting Germahy's power
in Samoa. The king lived In Il three
roonied cottngc,which the United States
gave him. The president lives In 4
handsome house When the president
orders n tin OF biscuit the traders are
glad 10 charge it. and present the ac
count at the end of the quarter. There
Is n law OF the kingdom that no store
may extend credit to the king except
on an order countersisned by the pres
ident or the collector OF customs. The
kings wages are SIS 60 month. The
presidents salary Of 5000 Il year, Is Il
fixed charge upon the government as
sets, and must be paid before the pit
lance Is Set aside for royalty.
The president exists by virtue Of the
Berlin act. In fact. everything in Sa-
lnoa is constituted by that document.
with the exception OF the three consuls
ana the rebels. Three presidents, all
Germans. have held the Office. The
courtly Frciherr Senfft Won Pllsach, the
bumptious Schmidt and the learned
and scholarly DR.. Rafrel have consist
entity made the Samoan king and the
Samoan government feel the force OF
Germany's hand. The Berlin act does
not provide for any such thing as that.
II Is expressly designed to secure the
autonomy OF Samoa. But in practice
there is far less concern as TO what
the treaty provides than rs to what It
can be made TO mean. In general, 1t
has been easy to warp III" treaty by To-
cal Interpretations. because Great Brit
Gin has not cared much for Samoa and
the United States less. Ever since
Samoa has found 4 place in history
there has always been some one there
to remind S8moanS OF the might OF
Germany. 1t began with Theodore
Weber. that truly wonderful organizer.
who not only created monopoly OF
the South Sea Island trade for the
Firma Godelrroy, but also found time
10 create an empire which has always
just eluded the German grasp. the man
who Is really responsible for the Ger
man colonial policy. He and his sue
cessors tried in evry way to give Samoa
10 Germany. The treaty changed all
that on the face Of 1t. Nevertheless,
German influence Is maintained at top
notch. That is the real duty OF the
president. His hand, bearing always
heavy on the native government, must
teach the unvarylng lesson that Ger
many means power
The Berlin act. which constituted the
presidency. has defined also the duties
OF the president. As there Is double
system of administration in Samoa. one
for the white residents and another
for the native population, 50 there Is
a division In the presidential duties.
Upon the white residents OF Apia he
bears as presiding officer OF the NUM-
cipal council elected by the white pso-
pie OF all nationalities who have quail
itcd by residence OF six months In
the municipality. He Is In effect n
sort of mayor. The municipality has
been gerrymandered into two wards in
such manner as TO secure the election
OF no fewer than three German coun-
cillors out Of the six provided by law.
With the president 4 German the NUM-
cipal Council always has q majority OF
representatives, against all other ma
tion0!itles. no mean advantage In it
self. Upon the royal government Of
the SamOans he exercises IL dominant
sway through being recelver and custo-
dian OF the revenues. But the presl-
dents have not rested content with
what the law has given. There is II
popularity abOu: the Berlin act.
Alongside Of the moist positive tcnni-
ton Of powers and functions il includes
parallel series OF vague and genera!
statements which might bear almost
any meaning. 1t has been within the
power OF 4 German policy working
steadily and consistently III Samoan af-
fairs TO place upon thes. vague and
general statements Il construction ever
favorable to the tightening of the Ger
man grasp upon the kingdom. |, was
OH account Of the possibilities Of pow
CT presented by the Office that Germany
obtaIled from the other two powers the
privilege OF naming the president.
Sec what manner OF men Germany
has put into the presidency. The first
was Frciherr Scnft Won Pl!snch. Il gen
ticman. every inch OF him, promoted
from small German civil magiStracy.
He had the task Of opening the rOu-
tine Of presidential work and of estab-
fishing many OF It's presidents. When
he had done the duty for which he had
been instructed In Germany, the Sa-
means were In n fury OF discomfort With
the treaty. There was also indlgnn-
ton among the white residents of Apia
other than the Germun community of
Matafele. Public meetings were held.
greatly to the disgust OF the German
Kingdom, which was lmpotent to quell
the storm. The public had some qIes-
lions to ask. 1t wanted to know by
what right President Senfft Won PHI
slch interpreted the treaty as he was
doing: Il wanted 10 know by what au-
tIorlty the public funds were sent
thousands OF miles away from Ap!a, TO
be deposited in bank Of Sydney: il
wanted to be assured that the funds of
the government were not used In the
purchase of the Apia newspaper, which
from state OF wholesome criticism
had gone over to the most abject adul-
auon. The best way ont Of the mess
was adopted: Germany withdrew Frci-
herr Serft Won Pllsach.
l.. Schmidt-Dargitz seemed to prom
Use well. for a German, when he was
appointed president II was a hopeful
novelty this, OF appointing IN official
who was experienced In Samoan mat
Icrs: for the new president had been
German vice-cenBul AT Apia. knew the
people and was an excellent Samoan
scholar The Indignation died out, the
public meetings ceased to be held. citl-
EA RIA n