New-York tribune., 1901-06-13
CONDITIONS IN SAMOA.
ERNOR OF UNITED STATES POS
SESSIONS THERE.

san Francisco. June 12-Commander B. F. Tiiey.
L. s. x. Governor Of the United States possessions
in samoa. who has just arrived here on leave OF
absence, discussing the conditions there sald'
The natives are now docne and contented, When
] was bordng the Ventura they gave me q sleEa
Samoan charivari 10 show their good Will SeE-
and making music by heating mats with sticks
b,9, ~ S t;,ei,'e ficere demand dnty on them
and The presents are hardly worth the expense.
own customs when they were not pernicous. 1t
was necessary TO reform their customs TeguIatlng
marriage and divorce The lnlqueness oi me j, Cg,
diuons and the remoteness from higher authoTlty
compelled me- 10 act ths part OF a @ supreme ia law
elVer as wen as tnat oi an eNecuuNt, oHl'si.
issued ordinances forbidding the transfer or real
ffa6fs 6etTeen NATIVES and whites The ordinances
were necessary for the protection Of the natives
and the general laws Of the United States do not
M the conditions in the islands -
The possessions are divided into counues. each
governed by a native officer, appointed by the
he Ssr7oa1s Raeenflv The chiefs at Fara Togo
offered the waterfront land 10 the government AT a
reasonable price, and announced that they would
build Presbyterian church with the money. The
London Mission works among them All the na-
lives are Christian and extremely religious.
Peace was what the islanders needed. They
had been warning perpetualy. and the warfare in
terfered with production. The 5oil voluntarily
Samoans require to eat and there is really no rea-
son why they should work. II is not surprising
Under the American stimulus the product Of our
possessions ought TO double WITHIN a year two
The area Of plantation is incre asing Copra is The
principal production. although the cocoa and to-
ti0n Of American Samoa is about 10 all told.
Evidence of the docty Of the natives is the fact
recently they raised tax levy Of S7.500 paid
in copr2. to defray the Of the native part OF
the government.
The Samoans arc not permitted to have whiskey
but they do not like il anyway and II is no trouble
10 keep them sober. They a brave. Warlike
hospitahe people. quite the finest native" ] have
ever seen. our government ought. II possible. to
preserve the race from admXture We have en-
listed ffty-eiEht SamOans in the navy as landsmen,
ordinary seamen, seamen and petty officers They
are kept ashore. and are the military resource OF
the island. They wonderfully proud Of their
uniforms. They take 10 firearms like ducks 10
water and rapidly become experts in the school
OF the soldier An enlisted Samoan. drawing SIS,
so $50 in American money. is tremendous sTel!
among the natives He makes a good soldier.
fighting being the Samosn's speciality.
do not think the commerce Of the islands ever
will amount 70 a great deal The chief value Of
the islands 10 this country is the great harhor.
which is protected against hurricanes. and can
easily be made against enemy. Con-
Rress has passed an appropriation 70 enable us 10
enlarge the coal storage capacity of the harbor 10
10000 tons. enough 10 coal feet. The harbor IS
000 miles from Honolulu. 400 from Auckland and
about 90 from Sydney. German Samoa is doing
well under Governor Solf. broad minded man.
lieutenant O. Commander Dorm is now in command
Samoa.