Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-02-10
JUDGE IDE ON SAMOA.

The complications which have recent
ly arisen in Samoa will give more than
ordinary interest to the article by
Former Chief Justice of Samoa Henry
c. Ide of ST. Johnsbury, which appeared
in last weeks New York independent
Judge Ide's service in so important a
position as that of chief justice gives
authority to his statements. He begins
his article with short history of the
islands, from which it appears that all
the natives are Christians, about one
seventh being Roman Catholics and the
remainder Protestants.
Referring to the treaty of Berlin
under which England. Germany and the
United States entered into agreement in
1889 to guarantee the Independence of
Samoa, Judge Ide says:
The weak point of the treaty has always
been its complicated character, wheel
within wheel, native government theoret-
ically autonomous, president to advise it
and try TO control it, IL chief justice to recon-
mend Legislation to the native government
and to be the final legislator in the NUM-.
cipallty of Apia rs well as court of last
boundaries of power Thus instead of one
king there were six. With such n subdivision
of authority it has been difficult to locate
responsibility
In spite of all these defects, Judge Ide
thinks The treaty has been of very great
benefit to Samoa, to have given better
government than ever before existed
there, to have made Apia as well govern
ed "A municipality as is often found, to
have created many miles of good roads,
to have stopped the sale of liquor to
natives. TO have settled land titles, and
many other benefits of established civil
lied governments. Mr.. lde is opposed,
therefore. to the abrogation of the treaty
in toto. He thinks that it can be so
amended as to eliminate the present
defects.
With regard to the present troubles,
the former chief Justice gives a version
new to newspaper readers. After de-
scribing the exilpg of Mataafa, leader of
the rebellion of 1898, the account con-
tinues:
few months ago, the powers whose
prisoner he was decided that his punishment
had been sufficient, and that he might safely
be allowed to return to Samoa, upon HIS
solemn and no doubt serious promises to
abstain from all disturbances and to yield
obedience to the consuls. Unfortunately
Maletoa Laupepa ended his troubled reign
by death near the time of Mataafa's return
Instantly, by common acclaim, Mataafa was
put forward as successor 1t was not neces.
sary for him to take any action himself. lie
had the support of the Catholics, and of the
Tumua party, and of the great mass of
Samoans who admired his character and
standing and sympathized with his long
exile. He is man of commanding presence
rulers qualities, gracious manners, and
fitted to be king of his people. One OF the
rival candidates was Tamasese, son of the
old German puppet King Tamasese. lie
withdrew his claims, so far as he had any,
in favor of Malietoa Tanu, the remaining
competitor. The latter Is the son of the de-
ceased King Malietoa Laupepa, and is a
mere boy, still in school, under missionary
control, utterly incapable of steering the
native canoe of state through the turbulent
waters of samoan politics. The treaty pro-
vides that in case of disputed election to the
/ throne, the chief justice shall decide. lie
decided in favor of Malietoa Tanu, holding
Mataafa TO be disqualified under the treaty.
As the treaty makes no such disqualification,
the decision was probably based upon some
/
1859, when the negotiations were going on,
Germany objected to Mataafa and instead
consented to the return of Malietoa. The
chief justice, Hon. W. l.. Chambers, who is an
upright and fair man, perhaps misapplied
things said years ago, not now applicable
and not IN the treaty. But there was the
decision, rendered on the last day of De-
cember, and the court had jurisdiction But
before New Years .day was done, Malietoa
Tanu was in hiding, Tamasese in n boat
lying under the sides of the British warship
Porpoise. and all the machinery of the
native government in the hands of the ad
herent3 of Mataafa. The chief Justice retired
to the Porpoise, and then the German officials
declared his office vacant, apparently upon
the ground that he had deserted Samoa and
the three powers and "gone to England"
They therefore installed the German presi
dent as chief justice, he being authorized by
treaty TO act in case of vacancy. These
latter proceedings were manifestly unlawful
and will doubtless be disavowed by the
German government. The treaty furnishes
the full measure of the rights of all, and is
our complete safeguard in this episode.