Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-21
DISCUSSED
samoa AFFAIR
Former Chief Justice Gives
His Views.
MATAAFA IS A FAVORITE
With the Natives anu With the White
--Regrets the Decision Of
Judge Chambers.
MATAAFA IS A FAVORITE

New York. Jan. 2L.-A special to the
Tribune from st. Johnsbury, VT, says:
Henry [de. formerly chief justice Of
Samoa. says:
THE recent exciting events n Samoa
are very distressing 10 me. During my
residence Of between four ana i've years
there I became greatly attached TO the
natives vino are ordinarily i most hospl-
table, polite and picturesque people. 1
formed strong friendship with English,
German ana American officers and resi-
dents. Z was Wen acquainted with Chief
Justice Chambers and the German consul
Rose. who are prominent factors N the
existing trouble and with MaCaafa. Tam
asese. MllIetoa Tanus ana Lusateie,
prominent SaTroans N the controversy.
Chief Justice Chambers comes from Ala
hama and IS j Just anu upright j
Consul Rose has had long experience un-
der the German foreign office and s i man
Of ability.
1T IS to be regretted thai the chief JUS
cica could not have found it To be his
duty to decide in favor Of Mataafa, who
is the most distinguished Of living sam
cans. Of fine presence and kIngIy bearing.
the choice Of 4 large majority of the peo-
PIE and entitled 20 sympathy by reason
of his long exile. Some Incidents bearing
upon the hlTEEIIEs IDLAD.y ILlG C&P0L>to14
Of LuseteIe. one of Mltaafa's adherents
and one If the highest chiefs in Samoa.
from the courtroom on the ground that
his bearing was considered dIsrespeCttul.
contributed. it seems, to intiame passions.
The English missionary influence was
strongly in favor Of MaIietoa Tanus, son
Of the deceased king. who : j minor, stIll
under missionary instruction. MaIetOa
Tauus IS a Catholic but has q large Pro
------ e. - wf., 80 -, -.
consular board. Of curse, rendered peace
difficult. The German consul strongly re
speCted Marsafa. I am not aware that
the other two COuSulS became partISans.
Immediately after the chief Justice de
CIdad in favor of MalietOa Tanus, civil
war broke out and Mataafa and his adj
herents, being far more numerous, won 4
victory, destroying the native portion Of
ApI3. occupied MuIjnuu. the seat Of gov
r1rneu and became the defaCtO native
government. The Samoan character IS
such hat all the doubtful seek the win
ming side and Naraafa will apparently for
Some time have the great mass If the
people as his supporters. While the ALL
th0rIty of the court must be maintained.
it Is highly improbable that the three
powers will undertake to maintain the
boy MalletCa Tlnus in power in the face
Of the determined opposition Of the peo-
pie.
The action f the German consul and
the German president, Rafael. IN Selling
the court house : based upon the fact
that the Berlin treaty provides that the
president shall exercise the functions Of
chief justice in case Of vacancy and it IS
probably claimed that the action Of
Chief Justice Chambers in g0ing for pro-
lection on = Esttlsh warship was d de
parture from Samoa to British soil and
an application In one of the powers and
4 a thereby a. vacancy had been created.
It : safe to say that such 4 claim. under
the circumstances will not be entertained.
1t Is the manifest duty Of our govern
ment to lend aid 10 maintain the treaty.
That duty has been too long neglected.
No American WarShjp has been in sam
oan waters since 1892. The English squad
ron there VIII at once be strengthened
from the Pacific station. The whole at
mosphere there Will be cleared without
fighting as soon as England and America
appear IN force upon the scene and the
hands Of our officials vii be upheld. The
treaty Is the result Of years Of Diplomacy.
II should be amended to be made work
able. Its value in giving us our only hold
in the south Pacific is i~ncalcul3ble. This
IS not a good year for letting things in the
Pacific pass to our rivals"