Evening star., 1899-02-04
THE NATIVES OF SAMOA
Their Progress Toward Our Ideal of Civil
ization is Very Slow.
German Residents Are the Most Pros
porous of the Foreigners-How
the People Live.

From the Fortnighty Review.
Samoa may be likened to q caldron in
which several conflicting elements seethe
and strive for mastery. This has been the
normal condition of the islands since they
became known to the civilized world Dur
ing the last few years there has been
reign of outward and comparative calm,
but this is now threatened with rude ter
mination. It would be unfair to tax either
the natives or any one of the three pro-
tecting powers with sole responsibility for
such denouement-the natural sequence of
an inappropriate and artificial system of
government which has only been tolerated
thus long because anything seemed prefer
able to changes likely to reawaken dor
mant jealousies. A crisis having arisen,
Germany, as usual, appeared best pre-
pared TO meet it; but, contrary to general
expectation, she has-as ten years ago-fal-
tered to take full advantage of her opportu-
mites. Whether this hesitation should be
credited to treaty scruples or apprehensions
of foreign opposition it would be vain TO
inquire. Yet at the same time 1t is well
to remember that Germany has at present
at her command in PolyneSlan waters a
naval squadron of quite unusual strength,
strangely reminiscent. both as regards
power and occasion, of the concentration OF
1888, which was intended to hasten Sa-
moan annexation, but ended only in dis
aSter and total wreck.
Samoa is quite capable of supplying all
the immediate needs of her children, even
in their present state of guaSi-refinement
Although Christianity is general, and the
Samoans are being gradually weaned from
their primitive customs, their progress to-
ward ''ciViliZation'-as understood by the
trader-is lamentably slow. Family pride
and objection to sustained labor are the
Samoans' equivalent for caste. They are
Sastronomes after a fashion, but the luXu-
RANT vegetation and fertility of their lands
together with the products of their
prolific waters, provide every necessary
for well-nourished and healthful exist
ence. For all clothing, also, which is cs-
Sentlal on the score of climate, decoration
or decency, Samoa is sufficient to the Sa-
means. Tonga" or fine mats, are pre-
cious heiriooms, and scarcely less valuable
in native estimation are the lava-lavaS of
'saipe." the cloth made Of the inner bark
of the paper mulberry tree, which, with
garlands of berries and sweet-smelling
flowers, serve as ceremonial attire.
The latter may be deemed somewhat
sCanty, but it certainly harmonizes more
pleasantly with the cinnamon-brown skin
OF a Samoa beauty than do the gaudy cali
Goes and velveteens which have been intro
duced by the traders, and which-when cut
after "a long way after) the fashions of
Suburbia-are the peculiar objects of CON
suar and missionary benson. The unso-
phfSticateS, much-bathing chief lightly
clad during periods of unofficial life with
waistcloth and elaborate tattoing seems to
the unprejudicad cosmopolte a more con-
SlStent type of Virile honesty than his couS-
in of the Europeanized beach" strutting
about in the incongruous, Hl-fftting pro-
ducts of an Apia store. For reasons such
as these, Samoa has up to the present
proved a somewhat infalicitouS field for the
foreigner intent merely upon commercial
exploitation.
The white residents in Upolu-for that IS
the only island in which they SETTLE except
as occasional units-s=ldom exceed four
hundred and twenty in number About 30
per cent are British subjects English or
colonial born, not few being "beachconlb-
ers of the types familiar to readers of
notion. and consequently meriting but
slight regard in the councils Of the mother
land. Others have achieved more or less
success as owners or managers of planta-
uons, while a third and considerable Sec
ton share with members of other ia SiOn-
alities connection with the Apia stores The
Germans resident in Samoa number only
about one hundred and twenty but gen
orally speaking, they possess greater in
nuence and are more lavishly blessed with
the worlds goods than their British or
American rivals. From the very beginnin.
they suffered under no restriction in pro-
curing imported labor, whereas the Other
whites for many years were prohibited
from equivalent rights. Thus during a con-
siderable period the Germans in Samoa en-
Joyed a practical monopoly, which proved
the foundation of tn air eXnOrt trade