The times., 1899-03-26
THE SAMOAN DIFFICULTY.
ne German COnsuIs Reports and
Foreign Office Views


The German ConsuPs Reports and
Foreign once Views
In view of the extreme interest which
the samoan question is exciting in the
United States at this particular juncture.
and the important bearing that the situa-
ton in the islands might exert on our
future relations with Germany, it is useful
to understand just how the whole affair is
regarded in the official circles of the En-
pire. and among Germans of position and
intelligence who are not extreme Yankee
phobes for local political purposes. Much
of the impression created in this country
thus far as to German sentiment on the
Samoan question. and other matters OF ap-
parent or real difference has been due
to the unfriendly attitude toward America
of the agrarian press. The agrarian ele-
ment is to Germany much what the trust
and monopoly combination is to the United
States. II would sacrifice every imperial
or race interest on the altar of its selfish
greed just as cheerfully as its prototype
here would give away Hawaii in the inter-
est OF the Sugar Trust, or prevent con-
struction of the Nicaragua Canal that the
transcontinental transportation interests
might be benefited. Newspapers not pub
lished under the auspices of this reaction
ary prohibitive tariff party are not by any
means hostile to America or Americans as
rule. The best of them. like the North
German Gazette" are able to discuss such
questions as the Samoan with calmness
and even with an evident desire to see
their government meet the United States
in spirit of frankness and liberality
On March IL the North German Ga
zette published a supplement containing
nf
Consul General at Apia. on the Samoan
trouble. These reports The Times has
had translated and summarized
The first report, dated January %, and
comprising the period from the decision in
the matter of the kingship to the estab-
lishment OF the provisional government
December 81 to January ~. calls atten-
tion to the fact that scarcely three months
ago October 81 the Chief Justice had ex-
pressed himself in a written declaration
that there was no reason why Mataafa
should not take his place as King, If elect
ed in rightful manner and according to
the laws and customs of Samoa. Yet on
the forenoon OF December 81 Mr. Cham
bers decided in favor of the claims of
Malietoa Tanu to the Samoan Crown bas-
ing his decision on the ground that Mataafa
was not eligible because Of the provisions
of the act of Berlin. Considering this de-
cision unjustified, the German Consul Gen.
eral declined. for his part, the English pro-
posal to issue a manifesto In favor of Nal
ietoa Tanu and to request the warriors as
sembled for the election to return to their
homes. He held, moreover, that the Berlin
general act did not provide for an obliga-
tion on his part to participate in such
step. In contradiction to the statement
made by Mr.. Chambers in his Official re-
port OF January II, that the German Con-
sui General attacked the Tiyoli Hotel. in
which the Chief Justice was staying, at
the head of several hundred armed Mataa-
ia men. Herr Rose states tina. he simply
left his house and rode into the street In
order to see what was going on. He was
merely spectator, like many others, and
was not seen or heard to address a single
word to any natives. Herr Rose further
emphasizes the fact that Mataafa did not
participate in the fighting This was also
acknowledged by the English in letter
to the editor of the local newspaper to the
effect that Mataafa was not responsible
for the war and that he had done every
thing in his power 10 prevent the fighting
On January the three Consuls. Sin con-
sequence of the events of the last DAYS and
of the pressing necessity to create strong
provisional government for Samoa" issued
manifesto, In which they recognized the
Mataafa party, represented by the first
>,
and being de.facto in the possession of the
Samoan government as a provisional gov
ernment for Samoa until the arrival OF in
structions from the treaty powers. The
municipal President was to be the execu-
tive head of the provisional government.
In his second report, dated January "a,
and comprising the events from January
to January 8. the German Consul General
dwells on the conflict between Chief Justice
hpr Dr of at Of rf
yisional government. On January Mr.
Chambers declared his court adjourned
until further notice while 'Dr Raffel con-
tended that Mr.. Chambers was legally
excluded from the exercise of his duties
as Chief Justice during the existence of the
government elected, contrary to the deci-
sion of December 81. Then Dr. Raffel also
publicly announced that the court was
closed and should not be reopened except
by consent of the provisional government
At the same time he took possession of the
court building and had it guarded by some
warriors of the provisional government
The further proceedings are known. On
the next day the British Consul informed
Herr Rose that at noon Mr.. Cham
bers would reopen his court and that
he would assist him with an armed
force and would enforce his orders
and even open fire on the town If there
was any show of resistance
Notwithstanding this threat. Herr Rose
did not resort to the commander of the
German warship Fake to protect Presi-
dent Raffel. as he did not want 10 con-
tribute to such an eventuaiity as that of
the forces of two friendly powers fighting
with each other for such an insignificant
reason
The third report of Herr Rose is dated
%, and deals with the case of
German subject called Greosmuhl, who,
while drunk smashed the windows of Mr.
Chambers court building. For this offence
he was sentenced by the Chief Justice to
pay a fine of one hundred dollars and i'm
prisonment for one hundred days. Being
arrested, he was as promptly
released by DR.. Raffel on the strength of
the treaty of January 26, 1879, between
Germany and Samoa, which provides that |
German subjects shall be tried and SEN
fenced only by the German consular court
In Apia.
The foregoing gives the substance of
Consul Roses reports upon and explana-
ton of his conduct ir connection with the |
late revolutionary occurrences in the little !
island kingdom. in which we have been |
trying the difficult experiment of con |
dominium" with madame our good cousin |
and our cousin German Wilhelm. |
How the delicate situation is regarded in |
official and court circles in Berlin is shown |
III Il sldlthitHl III tiic oiiitidi press,
cribed TO a high functionary of the Ger
man Foreign Office, who is quoted as say
ing:
I'VE acknowledge loyalty that Consul
General Rose has violated the letter OF the
Samoan act in the case of the closing of |
the Supreme Court but We demand the
same loyalty also from the two other pow
ers Before the outbreak of the trouble
Chief Justice Chambers violated the treaty
nj least a dozen times Rut while IL for