The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-29
FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN
Trouble Liable to Break Out
Again in Samoa.
CHAM BERS WON'T RETURN
Natives Can Be Controlled When the Gov
ernments Act Together-They Are
Prepared to Accept the Aboli-
ton of the Kingship.

San Francisco, July 2S-Chief JUS
tice Chambers of Samoa arrived to-day
on the steamer Moana, accompanied by
his family. He is on four months leave
of absence, but says his business in the
United States is of such nature he will
probably not return to Apia. In an in
tervew the chief justice said
"All is now quiet in Samoa, but can
not answer for the future. Both Ma
taafa and Malietoa affect to be satisfied
with the present arrangement, which
abolishes the office of king and vests
the responsibility of the government in
the consuls of the three powers. ] feel
sure Malietoa is sincere in this. Ma
taafa is ambitious. For many years ne
has thirsted for power and will not be
so easily satisfied. At the same time
he is man of exceptional ability, IS
shrewd and | have never thought the
interests of natives would especially
suffer in his hands. With respect to the
future can say little. In its work the
commission has endeavored to elimin-
ate from the original arrangement all
features that appeared faulty or weak
Those features have been substituted
by others which experience has demon-
strated to be more desirable and work
able. 1t is difficult to frame any gov
eminent under tri- partite control tha.
will be permanent but this is not due
so much to the faultiness of the theory
as to local dissensions and the want of
harmony among the treaty powers The
success of the commission demonstrat-
ed conclusively that the natives can be
controlled, peace maintained and laws
properly enforced when the foreign
work
harmony exists between the commits
sion and the chief justice.
'Apropos of the reported difficulties
and fights of which so much is made in
correspondence published here to-day,
permit me to say that these were moth
ing more than little village difficulties
which would have passed entirely I'M
noticed were it not that all eyes are
turned on Samoan villages just now
and that the landscape is being swept
with a telescope to perceive troubles
not discernibe to the naked eye"
At Tuluila the natives are prepared
TO accept the proposed abolition of the
royal Office and the substitution Of an
executive appointed by the three pow
ers AT Sapotulifia, the headquarters
of lanai, that chieftain was defiant
in manner, indicating future trouble.
At Safune, the only place where the
natives took a prominent part in the
proceedings there was a fight with
axes knives and stones in the presence
of the commissioners, one man being
severely wounded. The trouble was
caused by the meeting of parties of
Mataafa and Malie'toa men who were
bearing food offerings to the commits
sioners The outcome of all these con-
ferences is a mass meeting being held
to-day at Mulinuu point, where the
leading men of both sides are discuss
ing the future government of the
islands.
At Safata, on July A. some Mataafa
men entered the home of an opposing
chief named Taamui, who, with two
Others was badly wounded. H. M. s.
Torch went to the scene, but quiet had
been restored.
Last week the chief justice issued
orders to certain towns In Sanaii to APP
pear before the supreme court in GER
tain civil cases where the judgment of
the court had not been complied with.
Chief Lanati ordered them not to obey,
telling the towns ITO pay no attention
to the orders of the court. which were
only words on paper. Some towns did
not appear. while from the remaining
ones only Malietoa men attended.
The Mataafans openly defied the
court. The chief justice then asked the
commissioners to support his authority
with waTships, If necessary, and, on
their refusal, he decided to leave
Samoa.
After the return of the British ship
Torch from Safata, the Malietoa men
there took offense because the persons
who attacked Chief Taamui's house on
July had not been punished, and
made an attack on some of the follow
ers of the rival chief, Suatele. one te-
ing killed and several wounded. two of
the latter being Suatele's adopted sons
One of these died later in the German
hospital in Apia
The warships Torch and Cormorant
steamed again to Safata, and arrested
two Malietoa chiefs. The men-of-war
at present there are the Tauranga,
Torch and CormOrant
Mataafa has never been in Apia
since he visited the commissioners on
the Badger at the time he agreed to
surrender his arms. This, he claims,
he has done in entirety, and he ACCEPTS
without reservation the abolition o.
the kingship.
Mataafa complains that Tamasese
and his immediate supporters have re-
manned in the neighborhood of Apia.
After his abdication Malietca Tanu
intended to go to sydney and remain
there for some time, and the Torch was
put at his disposal TO carry him as far
as Fiji. where his sister, the Princess
Faamitui, is living, but acting on the
advice of his chiefs, he decided TO re-
main in Samoa.
President Solf took over office on
June l, ana lmmedlateiy mad trouble
with Vice-K King Tamasese and chiefs,
who considered that although TAM
had abdicated the kingship they still
constituted Samoan government.
The commissioners were appealed to,
and they requested the chief justice b
see the Malietoa chiefs and try AMI
settle things amicably This he did. AMI
the chic fleft Mulinuu point and tie
residence of the late president. DIR.
Solf occupies the residence now at a
rental