Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-03-13

RAFFEL BLAMES RELIGION
Former Head of Municipal Govern
ment of Apia Says Samoan Trouble
Was Caused by Missionary Society
Corrupting Elections-One Candi-
date Catholic, Other a Protestant.

Apia, Samoa, Feb. 22.-Via San
Francisco -Four weeks have elapsed
since the last mail dispatches left here
for San Francisco concerning the out
break of the civil war between the ad-
herents of Tanus MalietOa and those CT
Mataafa. During this time Samoa has
been free from any active warfare.
The provincial government, under
Mataafa, will not be a success; it
estranged the feelings of many of its
own supporters by the deportation Of
Matlietoa chiefs and the Punishment
from Apia of all male Samoan adults
who were on MalietOa's side. All Of
Malietoa's adherents who were not de-
ported have been fined and inoffen-
sive natives, servants of whites, who
had been in no way connected with
the fighting, have been arrested.
sharp remonstrance from British Con-
sui Make, who now has two men-of-
war supporting him, has prevented q
recurrence Of this annoyance. The
natives of Tutuila declared in favor Of.
Tanus. Malietoa seems to be gaining
strength every day and several Of
Mataafa's adherents have gone over to
his side. There are not much more
than one-half of the people on
Mataafa's side and it is doubtful if
more than one-third the population are
his active supporters. Among the
British and Americans here it is not
seen how the powers can act in any
other way than to stand by Tanus as
king.
The German consul received orders
from Germany directing him to rec
ognize the authority of Chief Justice
Chambers and withdraw from the
stand he and Raffel have taken in re-
gard to the supreme court. This news
discouraged Mataafa and in addition
the United States consul has written
to him to the effect that nOtwithstand
ing the rumors around Apia, the
United States has not recognized Ma
taafa as king. The chief justice, al
though now recognized by the German
consul under instructions from Ger
many, is still being thwarted in every
possible way by the Germans. Every
body is anXiously awaiting the deci-
sion of the powers and in the mean
time it is not thought that there will
be any further disturbance.
Raffel Reaches Frisco.
San Francisco, March 9.-Dr. Raj
fel, late president of the municipal
! council at Apia, Samoa, arrived here
yesterday by steamer, on his way to
Germany, having been recalled, the re-
suit of the recent events in the islands.
He says that when he left everything
was quiet Mataafa is recognized as
provisional king by the powers and has
the support of 80 per cent. of the ma
tives and majority of the foreigners.
RaffeI declared that the German consul
could not enforce the decree of the
supreme court seating Tanus as king,
| because it was in opposition to the
customs of the Samoan people and OBJ
noxious to them. He asserted that
the report that the German consul had
led the Mataafa forces was untrue. He
thinks that an attempt to place Tanus
on the throne will result in
the Mataafans holding every
thing outside of Apia. The
! influence of the London missionary So
ciety in Samoa corrupted the elections
for king, and thereby caused the tenn
porary installation of Tanus, the
Malietoa party chief. The Samoans
would not submit to this, for the rea-
son they knew Mataafa would have
been elected, but was 6efrauded Of his
rights. Hence the uprising. Tanus is
but mere boy, Is years of age. He is
under the influence Of the protestant
society. Mataafa is a Catholic. The
London missionary society was fearful
that if Mataafa were elected it would
lose it's power. Therefore, Tanus was
put in. That is, in brief the cause OF
The whole trn11hla said DR. Raffel.