The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-16


by the Germans, who had forced the
election of their puppet, Tamasee, as
vice king in spite of protests from the
Americans and English, protests which
were ignored as usual by Washington
and London, leaving Germany's hands
free to play their little game of petty
aggression. Imaginary charges were
trumped up against Malietoa, charges
which the king answered with dignified
contempt, relying upon the protection
of the United States and England, who
repaid his simple trust by the basest
desertion, not lifting even a finger in his
defense.
German troops were landed, the Ger
man flag raised and Tamasee declared
king. Malietoa fed, but to avoid war,
afterwards surrendered himself and
was sent into a long exile on Ger
man warshp. Here is his farewell to
I his beloved Samoans:
ITO all Samoa: On account of my
great love to my country and my great
| affection to all Samoa, this is the rea-
| son that I deliver up my body to the
| German government. That government
may do as they wish to me. The rea-
son of this is because L do not desire
that the blood of Samoa will be split
| for me again. But I do not know what
| is my offense which has caused their
anger to me and my country"
Simple, dignified, pathetic.
| V.
! ri
had at last realized the German ambi-
ton. Their puppet king was on the
throne, a German adventurer held the
reins of government and the German
flag waved above the Samoan standard.
| 1t appeared as if everything was going
their way and that absolute control of
Samoa by German bayoncts was an es-
tablished fact. But they had reckoned
without the high chief Mataafa, who
stood next to Laupepa in the affection
of the Samoans and who was far above
him in ability and energy. Around him
in the bush where he raised his stand
ard of revolt Immediately gathered
nearly the whole fighting population of
Samoa with the exception of a few
followers of the discredited king, Ia
masee. The Germans had erasped the
shadow of authority but the substance
had eluded them and their troubles
were just beginning. Bitter enemies
were also aroused by the overbearing
conduct of the Germans towards the
Americans Nearly every treaty right
was ignored by the Germans and no
pretense was made of Disgusting the ul-
innate design. Free speech was sup
pressed and neutral territory was vio
| lated. Meanwhile Mataafa had cooped
up Tamasee and the Germans on an
unwatered peninsula. It, was a seige,
| not a fight, for the Samoans had not
yet the courage to attack the invincible
white man.
This was the condition of affairs when
a pig arose to deliver the Germans into
the hands of their enemies. Geese fig
ure as the saviors of Rome; a porker
played the part of liberator for Samoa.
And this is how the play came up.
| Commander Leary of the United
States ship Adams, a typical fun-lov-
ing Irishman, chafed, as did Consul
Sewall, under foolish, if not criminal
instructions from Washington. His
sympathies We're naturally with Ma
taafa and the Samoans and he neg
lected no opportunity to show them
yet in such a tactful way as to leave
no ground for diplomatic intervention.
When the Germans were signaling from
their ships to the Shore Leary would
have a Fourth of July celebration of
rockets on his own vessel, hopelessly
confusing the German messages. Again
he would send letters through the Ger
man postoffice to the High Chief Ia
masee and while the humorless Ger
mans were Tuning, raging and threat
ening he chuckled and wrote formal
sarcastic apologies in which the Ger
mans discovered insults between every
line.
Leary was the one man who extracted
his fill of amusement from this ridcul-
Gus little tempest in teapot But the
pig adventure was his chef doeuvre
and marked the crisis of the rebellion. A
A man by the name of Scanlon, whose
American citizenship was a matter of
much doubt, had a house just inside the
neutral line in front of Tamasee's posi-
ton. One night a pig belonging to
Scanlon was stolen and the owner COM
planned to Leary. This was the golden
opportunity the mischief-loving com
mander had been waiting for. Leary
put on his CATERS, an invaria Bile signal
that he was looking for trouble. On
board the Adams there was just enough
activity to suggest that the warship
was ready for any contingency. Leary
installed himself at Scanlon's with a
boat load of men and some ugly look
ing gatlings and over the house waved
the stars and stripes. Leary was salts
fed: he was right in the middle of the