The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-22
On The hATAAFA S|DE
Facts in the Recent Samoan
Troubles are MarShaIIed.
GERMANS IN THE RIGHT
According to This--The Battle
InteIIigibIy Described.
GERMANS IN THE RIGHT


a king: For some considerable time
after the death of Malietoa the vacant
kingship gave little concern to the people
of Samoa, for the office had been shorn OF
50 much of its Importance during the life
time Of the late ruler that during the
! past few years he was scarcely in evil
! dence at all. Since 1888 Mataafa had ap-
parently been the popular idol, and though
! since 1898 he had been in exile his fame had
! suffele cd nothing IN the eyes Of the Sa-
means, who eagerly awaited his return.
| Had Malietoa lived these people would
| probably have risen and overthrow him
| without a single suggestion from Aataafa
VINO probably could not nave stopped such
7 a movement had he tried, so tired we're
| the people seemingly of the late king and
so anxious were they to do honor to Ma
taafa who, they considered, had been IN
justly eXiled and denied his rights No
district in all Samoa failed to send in
| fuential delegations 10 express TO Ma
taafa their joy at his safe return, and
with each party came liberal supplies Of
needed food and property. During the short
time that elapsed until the election took
place it is estimated that no less than
300 cooked pigs were presented to Mataafa
and his fellow exiles. On the aIrIv2l Of
Mataafa and his followers they We're re-
ceived by the consuls with considerable
ceremony, but they demanded Of him shat
ha and his friends should promise that,
Until relieved of their parole. they should
remain on Muimna; a small peninsula
on which is located the capital. Such a
restriction after so long an absence ang-
cred the Samoans whom the powers
sought TO please by returning their friends
When the subject of the vacant king
snip began to be discussed, though there
were several candidates in the field, more
rad any considerable following except Ma
taafa. Early I Octooe- Mr.. II ]. Moore,
an American who had constantly espaused
me cause of Mai1afa, and who was closely
connected with the late r. L. Stevenson
in this matter, applied to the chief Justice
ard u the president That the restrictions
placed on this chef shod be somewha:
aIneiio-ated-.hat insteai Of beng con-
fined to Mulimni he should only be re-
quired to reside there, that during the
daytime he should be permitted to freely
visit Apia and other points within the
Apia boundaries. The president, DR.. Raffel
replied that he had not the slightest OBJ
lection 10 such an arrangement but that
the matter rested with the consuls entirely.
Chief Justice Chambers said in his reply:
Il am much occupied in telling people that
I have nothing to do with the Chief Ma
taafa, he having the same right to aspire
to the kingship as any other Samoan. and
if the people elect him as ,Manetoa's sue
cessor in a rightful manner and accord
ing to the laws ard customs CT Samoa
why shouldn't he have the office? As to
his movements I can say nothing; that Is
a matter absolutely with the consuIs.'
Mr.. Moors then applied to the consular
representatives who granted Mataafa's re-
quest.
Shortly after this young Tamasese came
TO Apia and announced himself a candi-
date for the ldngship. employing a local
barrister to press his claims. OF course
the friends and relatives OF the late king
sought amongst their following a success
sor to the head Of their family; although
it was very well known that the late king
was accepted many years ago only on the
understanding that he was to be succeed
ed by member Of the Tupua family, Of
which Mataafa IS the head. Finally Tanu,
the fifteen year old son of Mahetoa, was
chosen to represent their party, and an
attorney named Gurr was employed to
back him up,
In Samoa it is very seldom indeed that
the son succeeds to his fathers titles and
rule of the tribal lands These titles and
responsibilities must he awarded to a full
grown man, who must, if possible, be
without physical blemish. The late Male
toa himself succeeded his uncle. who. at
the time of his death. had a son ten years
of age named Faalata.
on the invitation from the Faipules. or
representatives Of the late government Of
Maietoa, every important chief in Samoa
was summoned TO Malimui early in Octo-
Der for the purpose Of deciding on what
sort of = rule should be established and
who should he king in case they decided
on having a monarchy.
Finding themselves with 4 very trif'ng
support, Tamasese and Tanu al the in
stance Of their lawyers concluded 70 form
coalition putting Tanu forward as the
kingly candidate. with Tamasese 10 be rec
oEnized ar regent during Tanu's minority.
These two candidates were able 20 de-
lay matters on AIulimni for weeks using
hope that they would tire out thu large
party who came there in the interests Of
Mataafa, and they had this advantage.
mat their own supporters nearly all came
from the neishborhood of Apia. and their
supplies were handy. while The others had
70 draw their supplies. and even their
iire-wood. from districts in some Instances
sixty miles away.
FINALLY N I-- =.r---- --,-,rs -. -
fee. and finding themselves totally ou--
numbered. the Tanu-Tamassse party WITH
drew from NIuGmui and on the 1f-h- Of
November Mataafa was elected king. and
Faalata was chosen as his successor.
At this the chief justice declares. that
the consuls should have acted. and have
recognized Mataafa d. the Lawful king
Of the islands a. there WAS then no k,. ~
opposition for some four or i've DAYS when
The lawyers protested in the SUPREME
Court that the election had no, taken
place according 20 Samoan custom. ana
their candidate was the lawful successor
20 his father. etc
A. this time and In fact uuc5 earlier
il IS said thac some of the members NJ
the London Mission Society undertook .
quiet but vigorous campaign AGAINST Ma
taafa because OF the fact that he Is
Catholic. about five thousand u the ta;--v-
five thousand Of these people being or-that
faith.
Section 6. article ; u ;le RsrIin General
Ac; reads as follows: IN case any cues
ton shall hereafter arise in samoa -
spectins the riEhtful election or aa7a.r--
nsnJ Of king or Of any ot-er CHIEF --s M
ins authority over the Islands. 5r rsS-a---
ing the validity OF the powers which .bs
king ~ any ch.as M - h. -