The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-13
SAMOA On VERGE
Of BLOODY CIVIL WAR
Rival Claimants for the
Throne Prepared to
Take the Sword.
CLASH BARELY AvERTED.
Armed Guards in Apia Protect the
Residence of the Chief Jus
tice-Trouble Encouraged
by German Consul.
CAMOAN$, when you meet =
- white man, eat him mp;
when you meet . missionary,
cut him MP; when you meet =
Samoan, cut him up--Suate1e.
one of King Nataafa's fan
ntfcA.
Special Correspondence Of the Associates
Press


APIA. Dec. Is. Via San Francisco
Events have moved very rapidly since the
last mail left here. Civil war has been
narrowly averted, and. for the first time IN
Samoan history. the lives OF white resi-
dents have been threatened by the natives
Even now blooished is not far from i'm
probable. Armed guards protec. the resi-
dences OF Chief Justice Chambers. an
American citizen. and that of NJ. Gurr.
the leading English lawyer OF the town.
Who has taken prominent part in sup
porting Maiietoa Tanus claim TO the
throne. II fighting once begins the results
viii be serious, for each side has thousands
OF men In the field, and II Will require
energetic action on the part OF the English
and German warships TO keep the conflict
within bounds.
The whole trouble has arisen through the
iniudicinus action of the three treaty pow
ers in bringing the depof1@o Mataafa back
TO Samoa. BY doing so they have thrown
down a bone OF contention and converted
what might otherwise have been a peace
ful election into an angry combat OF
course, at the time Ameri/a, England and
Germany agreed 10 Mataafa's return. Mali
etoa's death vas not anticipated. otherwise
the homecoming OF the exiled king would
certainly have been delayed.
For many years, ever since the unfor-
tunate affair at Vallejo when so many
brave German sailors lost their lives. the
Germans have shown a feeling Of uncorl-
promising hostility towards Ma;aafa, under
whose leadership the Teutonic defeat was
accomplished Iatterly for some unsx-
plaIned reason the German officials have
changed their views, and have tried to
secure Mataafa's return. This course has
brought the German consul into open dis
agreement with the British and American
consuls and the chef justice the natives
have been encouraged to turbulence and
bA AasA0 xx~l,E 49,.
dangeFed.
Thousands Followed Matanfa
The trouble began Immediately upon
Mataafa's return from JaIu.t Though he
was noninaiiy held as a prisoner the con-
suls, acinaied ty kindly motives. gave him
permission 10 reside on the royal de-
mesne At Mulinuu and to take such of.his
adherents as ne chose with him. This per-
mission was interpreted literally, and Ma
taafa's people began crowdsng by the thou
sands into the limited space OF the Muhnuu
peninsula At first the followers Of Mali
etoa. chiefs who had followed the fortune
Of the late king for years. gave way cour.
teously. but eventually they found theTn-
selves driven entirely from their matched
houses and were forced 10 take refuge in
another quarter Of the town.
Fortunately, Aalieto'S people preserved
a friendly attitude and oAeyed the -roc-
lamation Of the consuls, demanding that
peace should be maintained at ali haz-
ards But siii the Gsurpers on Mulinut,
were aggressive ard issued a proclama-
ton declaring Mataafa king OF Samoa
Further, they assumed To themselves roy
al powers ana secretly encouraged by the
Germans proceeded 10 depose public or
tcers and appoint their own nominees
The climax was reached when Mafaafa
and his chiefs actually discharged the
chief justice. who is appointed under the
Berlin treaty by the three powers. or
course such action was purely farctcai and
the chief Justice speedily notified Maraafa
that he must wait for the decision OF the
court before he could legally declare him.
self king
The most serious element in .he whole
affair is the disagreement between the
consails. The German consul has been
playing double With hts colleagues. and
the English and American osacials are
naturally indignant II was a. understood
thing that there Was to he no foreign In
reference in the royal election veg
throughout IL az an undermining current
Of intrigue has been at work with the M
taata people until they have been reused
to aggressive action. have openly declared
against all v hite control. and announced
their intention OF disregar4lng entirely the
Berlin treaty
Natives Aroused 10 Fanntfcssm
In shoT the extent % feeling aroused
SJsat@le. a religious fanatic. Who lis ore
or MasaStas most prominent adherents
u quoted as saving: "Samoans yea mast
ng@t ssroag~sben you fight kill When
yotf meet = white man cut him Up. when
yeu meet missionary. cut him zap wher
yea meet n deacon, cat him up; when you
nnee, Samoan, ca, him NJ: Ne Nj.
break through che bonds ~ ~. treaty. we
Viii have no municipality"
IL Speaking ~ missionaries MafaaTgsS
g@or.e. being Catholics refer ~ course 20
IRE sepFs s~staslves az fhe London mis-
sirna-y society. who are uusectarsen Pro-
festsnts Only 3 fs~ more speeches ~
tbs kind aTe required to gactts TIE sa-
rsa@us - orHa violence. ans n thss cnss
ths houses - missionaries ara white Pcs
ISeass wiH he TIE f5rsk objects - attack
Ch3ef Justice cfaansfars sorr raence4 RS
exsrs8>stsa laso rtzs Merits 81 tAe rival
candidates ~ th@ gsroae On December =
10 tH@ prESs re 81 r great crowd - "a
.aves and whites IGder the Reeiln treaty
ths eHief fEists~e IS me .suas referee =
THIS matter. bat CD the previous day Nh
tNsf&s psants erfFrszs = g3<GY0as Protest
sEBtEss tAe employment ~ Scseyneys n
;Aa caSe- TAS, ao1ewsr The rhseg sGs-
fsee. coEs lsr,ng that - had + rixhs Is
yua Ass ewn eN5Jrt as BE eAaose refused
- consider ana Mr. Carr apn4a~aa sn
hsAAi: ~ &tlse;nS Ta~z1S An0teee ias-
Ny Af C@Fvs4tAeTs, sho lad Trev sosasgR
ts54 3 h<3wf s,s Tsrn8S@se. samnuaeaa fs.s8
BIS rsssnt bad retired fvsrs tss caagss. aaa
fsat rs faeuencs Nsssai ~ ghsawa aaEe
Nsssstok.s scale
The Eext dag 80 Germans srassxst sfr~
wasa a lawyer narasss ysn Ekalax and
ASKED tA41 ne re SwaEN Il az D. rass~ss1r