The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-14
GRAVE SITUATION IN SAMOA.
More Trouble Caused by Gcrmnny's
Policy Of Conspiracy

Policy OF Conspiracy.
San Francisco. Jan. ia letter received
here from Samoa shows how alarming was
the situation when the steamer Mariposa
left Apia for this city. The letter, which
is dated at Apia December rs. says: Civil
war has been narrowly avoided, and for
the first time in Samoan history the lives
OF white residents have been threatened
by the natives. Armed guards protect the
residence OF Chief Justice Chambers, an
American citizen, and that Of Mr.. Guerr,
the leading English lawyer Of the town
The whole trouble has arisen through the
injudicious action of the three treaty pow
ers in bringing the deported Mataafa back
to Samoa.
The trouble began Immediately upon Ma
taafa's return from Jaluit. Though he was
nominally held prisoner, the coDsuls,
actuated by kindly motives, gave him per-
mission 10 reside on the royal demesne at
Maximum, and to take such OF his adher-
ents as he chose with him. Mataafa's peo-
pie began crowding by thousands into the
| limited space of the Mulinnuu peninsula,
driving out the followers OF Malietoa. For
! tunately Malietoa's people preserved
| friendly attitude and obeyed the proclama-
! tion of the consuls that peace should be
maintained at all hazards. The usurpers
of Mulinnuu were aggressive. and issued
proclamation declaring Mataafa king of
| Samoa. They assumed royal powers, and
secretly encouraged by the Germans. pro-
ceeded to deport public officers and appoint
| their own nominees. The climax was
reached when Mataafa and his chiefs &C
tually discharged the chief justice, who IS
appointed under the Berlin treaty by the
three powers. OF course such action was
! purely farcical and the chief justice mott
lott hot ba mt Fr,- r. IL
cision of the court before he could legally
declare himself king.
The most serious element in the affair
is the disagreement between the eonsuls.
The German consul has been playing d0u-
bic with his colleagues. and the English
/ and American officials naturally are in
dignant. 1t was understood that there was
to be no foreign Interference in the royal
elections, yet throughout it all an under
mining current of intrigue has been at
work with the Mataafa people until they
have been reused to aggressive action.
have openly declared against all white
control. and announced the intention of
disregarding entirely the Berlin treaty.
To show the extent of the feeling
aroused, Sautele, a religious fanatic. who
is one of Mataafa's most prominent ad-
( herents, is quoted as saying:
samoans, you must fight strong; when
I you fight, kill When you meet a white
man cut him up; when you meet a mis-
/ sionary. cut him up; when you meet a
| deacon, cut him up: when you meet a
/ Samoan, cut him up; we VIII break
/ through the bounds of the treaty. We Will
leave no municipality"
( Chief Justice Chambers commenced his
7 examination into the merits of the rival
candidates on December 10 in the presence
I Of great crowd of natives and under the
4 Berlin treaty the chief justice is the
/ final In TO-
people entered a vigorous protest against
the employment OF attorneys in the case.
This. however, the chief justice refused
to consider, and Mr.. Guerr appeared on
1 behalf Of Malietoa Tanus. Another law
yer, Mr.. Carruthers, representing Tamas-
csc, announced that his client had retired
from the contest and that his influence
would be thrown for Malietoa. Two days
later it was reported that Sautele and
other fanatical adherents OF Mataafa had
formed plot to murder the chief Justice
Mr.. Guerr and other whites concerned in
the case. The chief justice immediately
I called a meeting Of consuls and both Eng
lish and American representatives agreed
10 hoist their flags over the threatened
houses. The German consul, however, de-
INJURED, claiming that he would have first
TO consult the captain of the warship Buzz
zard- Through the efforts OF the captain
OF the English waTship Porpoise a clash
was avoided. He cleared his ship for ac-
ton and declared in favor of English
speaking consuls. Meanwhile native guards
patrolled the roads and the threatened at
tack OF Mataafa's fanatical adherents was
avoided
The most sensational scene occurred.
however. on December 20, when all the
evidence in the case had been heard and
GueTr as counsel for AIalietoa, was sum-
ming up. 1t was discovered that Mataafa
came from a race of princes which had
been cut off by an ancestral curse from
the line of succession. An exciting scene
occurred. Natives burst out crying in
court. and were promptly elected. out
I side, the crowd of Samoans raised a great
tumult, and their leaders could only with
difficulty restrain them from coming 10
blows. The captains of both the German
ana English men-of-war were in court
! When the row was at its height the Ger
man captain invited the Englishmen out
side. War is certain" he said But the
English captain did not see it in that light.
He told the German that he would stand
by his ship and be ready to make it warm
for anyone who made trouble.
There is general feeling at Apia that
the whole scene was prearranged in order
to lead TO a tumult, and thus give German
The prompt action of the captain of the
| Porpoise, however, defeated the plot
The trial is expected to close about the
end of December and there may be more
trouble. Mataafa's people threaten that
II the decision is against them they will
attack the town. No alarm is felt, how
! ever, because Mataafa has only about 500
armed adherents while Malfetoa, who is
quite ready to meet them has over 5000
followers. American citizens greatly Ie-
greet that no American man -of-war has
arrived.