Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-12
GOVERNOR IN SAMOA.
Says Natives Will Keep Sober as They
 Dislike WhiskeY.

San Francisco, June 12.--Command- CT E. r. Tilley, U. s. A., governor of the United States possessions ill Samoa, absence, discussing the conditions there said: The natives ar now do- cile and contented. When was board ing the Ventura they gave mo 'Siewa or Samoan charivari to show their good will. Ten girls and ten men fol- lowed the boat, singing and making music by beating mats with sticks. A great many farewell tokens were press ed upon me, but the customs officers demand duty on them, and the presents are hardly worth tue expense.
 We have permitted the natives to follow their own customs when they were net pernfcious. It was necessary to refsrn their customs regulating mar- riage and divorce. The uniqueness of the conditions and tie remoteneSs from higher authority compelled me to act the part of supreme law giyer as well SIS that of an executive officer. I issued ordinances forbidding the trans fer Of real property to white by natives, and regulating contracts between na- tives and whites. The ordinances were necessary for the protection of the natives and the general laws of the United States do not fill the condi- tions in the islands.
 '.The possessions are divided into countries, each governed by native officer appointed by the American con- mander This system has pleased the Samoans. Recently the chiefs at Faga Togo offered the water front land to the government at a reasonable price and announced that they would build 9 Presbyterian church with the money The London mission works among them. All the natives and Christians are extremely religious.
 Peace was what the islanders need- ed. They had been warning perpetual ly and the warfare interfered with pro- duction. The soil voluntarily yields bread fruit,s cocoanut and everything the Samoans require to eat and there is no reason why they should work. It is not surprising therefore that they are inclined to idleness.
 Under the American stimulus the product of our possessions ought to dou- ble within Q year or two. The area of plantation is increasing. Copra is the principal production, although the CO., coa and tobacco crops are worth no- tice. The white population of Ameri- can Samoa is about no all told.
 Evidence of the docility of the na- tives is the fact that recently they rais- ed a tax levy of $7,5OO, paid in copra, to defray the cost of the native part of the government.
 "The Samoans are not permitted to have whiskey, but theyjdo not like it and dteis no trouble to- keep them sober. They are n brave, warlike, hospitable people, quite the finest ma tives l have ever seen. Our govern ment ought if possible, to preserve the race from admixture. We have enlist ed fifty-eight 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 are wonderfully proud of their uniforms. They take,to fire arms like ducks towater, and rap- idly become experts in the school of the soldier. An enlisted Samoan, draw ing $16, $20 and $50 inlAmerican mon- ey, is tremendous swell among the natives. He makes good soldier, fighting being the Samoans speciality.
 "I do not think the commerce of the ever will amount to q great deal. The chief value of the islands to this country is the great harbor, which is protected against hurricanes and can easily be made secure against an ene- my. Congress has passed an appropri- ation to enable Us to enlarge the coal storage capacity of tho harbor to ten thousand tons, enough to coal fleet. The harbor is 2,O00 miles from Hono- lulu, 1,50O from Auckland and about 2,000 from Sydney. German Samoa is loing well under Governor Solf, a oroad-minded man. Lieutenant Com mander Dorin is now in command at Samoa"