Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-04-18
OUR CANDIDATE IN 1900
The Origin Of the Samoan
Trouble.

Eleven years ago under the admin
istration of Cleveland the fat, the
United States and Germany were at
swords points over Samoa. Both
nations lost fleets riding at anchor
in the harbor of Apia by an appal-
ling hurricane. Following this the
United States, Great Britain and
Germany entered into an agreement
for a tripartite protectorate of the
Islands, including general settle
ment of who should be king over
their people. The tribes of the Island
had almost unanimously chosen Ma
taafa for king, which Germany OPP
posed and the United States entered
into an entangling alliance such as
the earlier Presidents have warned
US against, with Germany and Great
Britain to prevent the people of Sa-
moa from choosing their own ruler.
Under the tripartite agreement in
the interest of harmony with Bis
mark, Mataafa was driven into ex-
lie and declared to be ineligible to
the Office of King, an Office that
among it's people is elective, the law
of primogeniture not being recog-
nized. While the three great powers
recognized the right of the Samoans
to elect their ruler, they in expelling
the one chosen to rule and in seat
ing Malietoa.
This King is now dead, Mataafa
has returned to the Island and is al
most unanimously chosen by the
tribes to rule over them. Germany
had withdrawn its objection to him
but because he was declared ineligi
BILE by the Berlin agreement eleven
years ago, the validity of his election
on that ground was set up by Mr.
Chambers our representative at Sa.
moa. 1t would seem to have been In
order for the administration at Wash.
ington to have set aside the: decis.
ion of Mr.. Chambers adverse to Ma.
taafa, and to have that chieftain who
Is the overwhelming choice of the
tribes and of the people recognized
as their ruler, which would have es
tablished tranquility there, and hav,
been in harmony with the policy O
granting to its people there, the
right we proclaim to the world as the
fundamental principle in all just
governments. But in derogation Of
these just principles Admiral Kaut2
is sent there with the Philadelphia
and in conjunction with the British
naval commander sent an ultimatun
to Mataafa, commanding him to alb
dictate and give the throne to Ma
lietoa Tanus, thus not only over
throwing the choice of the people
but establishing as precedent the
law of primogeniture or heirship tt
the throne. The United States Cruz
ser Philadelphia, and two British
men-of-war opened fire on the de
fenseless village of Mataafa; fol
eight days the Smelling was kept w
killing the helpless natives, thei
homes going up in flame and smoke
the glorious stars and stripes and tn,
Union Jack OF Britain uniting t,
suppress the right of self govern
ment- And now after these event
a party of marines who had beer
infiicting upon these Islands this ter
rible slaughter of their people an,
the destruction of their homes, ar
raiding on shore and are attacked
killed and decapitated. For this th
Samoans are called 'barbarians
through the imperialist press of tn
country, but our interference in aid o
two monarchies to suppress the RICH
of self government and the slaughte
Of it's people they treat as spreadin
civilization and christianity anon
the heather. Telegraph dispatche
say that the action of Admiral Kaut
is approved at Washington, and az
vised to "protect life and propert
until the three treaty powers decid
how 30 deal with the situation" Thu
the present administration is CONT,
uing the entangling alliance improl
er]y begun under Cleveland wit
England and Germany.