The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-05-12
PARTITION
Of SAMOA
Continued from Page -

belief among the Samoans to which
they chung with persistence when
cost the late King and his followers
much trlbulat1on and sorrow, that the
United States had a peculiar interes.
IN their political future which they
and foreign powers were bound d res
pect.
Through the jealousy Of British and
German traders and the conniyance Of
the United States Consul, a personal
enemy, Steinberger was deported on a
British man-of-War.
Steinbergers vicissitudes never Grad
icated the impression he made on the
Samoan mind.
His mission, abOrtiVe as il was in
the purpose he had in view, prevented
FOR the time the absorption OF Samoa
by any other power, just as Meade's
unratified treaty kept Page Page opcr
for US TO gain six years later, by IN
equivOcal cession.
Second. The period from the treaty
TO the joint Act of Berlin.
United States Interference.
With the deportation of Steinberger,
Samoa relapsed into internal strife
Twice in the period have described
our flag was raised to avert for the
time seizure by the other powers, and
having served this purpose was with
drawn. And from necessity, AMI with
the approval of their superiors, CIR
Consuls and naval officers continued
to take part in the political affairs of
the Islands, arranging agreements of
peace between the native factions and
Joining with the representative of the
other powers in the aGieerenr for tho
municipal government Of Apla.
Our constant intervention Ii Samoa
was now TO become accentuated.
In 1885 began that series of German
aggressiOns which led directly to the
Berlin Agreement.
Every act of these met the protest
of the United States representative
The German Consul General attacked
Malietoa's sovereign rights and hauled
down his flag within the Municipality
Finally, when the appearance of a Ger
man squadron at Apia threatened the
seizure of the Islands, our Consul upon
application of the King, raised the
American flag over the Samoan, and
without doubt defeated this purpose
Secretary Bayard Immediately dis
avOwed this act, recalled the author OF
it, and June |, 1886 proposed a confer
ence at Washington.
Hawaii Becomes a Factor.
1t was at this juncture that Hawaii
became factor in the international
situation with results well nigh serious
to her, as they were important to the
powers in treaty with her.
How long previously, Gibson had
been meditating his Polynesian policy
does not appear. Prof. Alexander states
that in 1888, the year of Kalakaua's
coronation, Capt. Trip and F. L..
Clarke were sent as royal Commission
ers TO the Gilbert Islands and New
Hebrides, and parody on the Monroe
doctrine" was put forth in grandilo-
quent protest addressed to all the great
powers warning them against any
further annexation in the Pacific ocean,
and claiming for Hawaii the exclusive
right ito assist them in improving
their political and social condition"
In January, 1886, Gibson outlines his
plans to Carter. Assurances were to
be sought from the European Powers
that the recent anneXations in the Pa
cific would be the last. AS to Ha-
waits part, she sought nothing for her
self. Should anything in regard to
their foreign relations be deemed de-
sirable by the Independent communi-
ties of Polynesia, the hegemony of
such union would naturally fall to Ha-
wall. II. Ms Government were
prepared to undertake the work of ne
gotlatlons to secure separate recogni-
ton of their independence.
This certainly reads like the plan of
a high and unselfish mind. Here was
no fOrcible annexation, or annexation
at all, against which the anti-imperial-
lists of today inveigh.
Gibson Knew the Cbst acles.
1t is probable, however, that this ex-
preston of HaWaii's purposes was
tempered somewhat to meet the situa-
ton, and that the part marked out for
Hawaii was made only as prominent
as seemed feasible. Already, Gibson
must have been aware of the obstacles
he was likely to meet, both at home
and abroad. If he was not then, he
was shortly to become so. And we
find him, therefore, from the first Gas
we have seem, assuming an attitude
rather of defense by which he sought
to excuse his contemplated policy on
the ground of historical precedent, and
of reiterated requests for Hawaii's aid
anu lAt6I CtnSIOI,
In a letter to Carter the February fol-
lowing, he refers in detail to the more
important applications that have been
made Of Hawaii for advice, for help or
actual annexation" enumerating the
cessiOn of the Stewart group in 1868;
the recognition of the Steinberger Gov
eminent in Samoa QS75), petition for
annexation from the chiefs and old men
of the Island of Tapiteuea (Gilberts)
1873, request for recognition and a
treaty of amity and friendship 0SS0),
proposition of cession from the chiefs
of Butaritari and Apaing (Gilberts)
1882.
In the above resume of Polynesian
relations, the reference to the Stewart
Island cession is the most interesting,
as it recalls the first and most notable,
until the Samoan mission, efforts in
this direction.
Wylie and Gibson.
l have never heard from anybody
who knew the two, a comparison sug-
gested between the two most remark
able oPcuDantS of tho FOR