The evening times., 1899-01-19
The Samoan Trouble.

Ordinarily it would matter little to the |
people of this country whether one or an
other candidate for the Samoan throne
should succeed. 1t happens. however, that
the events reported in this mornings
news indicate the certain course of things
in the Philippines if the Senate minority
should have its way or if there should be
a joint protectorate of two or more pow
ers, or even a mere American protectorate,
ever the islands. There is revolution ac-
companied by wholesale murder in Samoa,
which under the Berlin agreement,
is supervised by Germany, Great
Britain and America. While a throne
is maintained, the king is chosen
by a popular vote. 1t was the cleo
tion of a native ruler that caused the pres
ent outbreak, under the efforts of the Ger
man consul to produce a condition that
will supply an excuse for the seizure of
the islands-a thing We have to count on
wherever Pacific islanders are independ-
ent or self governing under protection.
Recently the old King Malietoa died, and
an election was appointed for the choice of
a successor. The three powers had agreed
AHdl lut tAlltu lhdlddld, WIZ hou iiiNhiINb
the enmity of Germany for upholding
Malietoa against Tamasese, should be al
lowed to return on condition that he would
take no active part in politics. When the
election took place there were three can
didates for the throne-Mataafa, the re-
turned exile; Malietoa Tanus, descend
ant of the late king, and Tamasese. the
hereditary high chief of the Tumua, the
clan TO which Mataafa belongs, and the
candidate Germany had tried to place on
the throne instead of the old King Malie-
toa. Everybody in the islands entitled to
vote exercised his right at least once, and
Tamasese charged each of the other parties
with fraud. Feeling ran so high that Eng
/ lish and German warships-no American
Warships being near-made a demonstra-
tion of force at MuIinuu, the capital, to
prevent violence. Mataafa clearly had a
4 ma jorty of the votes, and there was no
evidence that his election was not entirely
fair. His rivals. however. made an appeal
to the Chief Justice, Mr.. w. L. Chambers,
an American, on the ground that the sue
cessfGl candidate was disqualified by the
conditions under which he had been allow
ed TO return. His supporters affirmed that
the pledge not TO enter into politics had
been extorted from him under duress, and
that il should not deprive the people OF
the right 10 choose their own ruler.
As reported in the dispatches this morn
ing the Chief Justice decided against
Mataafa and in favor of Malietoa Tanus
The supporters of the former, a majority
ambushed the followers of the latter, kill
ing some and wounding many; they have
destroyed one town and burned four hun
dred houses The declared King, Malieto;
Tanus. has taken refuge under the guns o
the British warship. But the American
British and German consuls refuse t
abide by the decision of Chief Justic'
Chambers. They have recognized the pro
visionaI government set up by Mataafa
the president of which, Raffel, with th'
consent of the German consul, declares
himself Chief Justice. This usurpatiol
the American and British consuls refuses
TO counteHance, and they sent force o
British marines TO take possession of tn
court house The situation is critical an
t the relations of the German consul on on
: hand and the English and American on tn
l other are strained. Serious and far-reach
ing trouble may follow.
1t is apparent that self-government
/ not The present forte of Pacific islanders
9 The actions of Germany's representative
in Samoa for many years have indicate
; an unrelenting purpose to cause dissen
: sions that will enable Germany TO manu-
-, facture an excuse for assuming absolut
control The same spirit is revealed b
2 the German agents including Prime
J.. Henry. at Hongkong, in relation to tn
, Philippines.