Evening star., 1901-06-12
Natives Are Contentsd With United
States Rule.
FILLEY'S VIEWS
He Says They Quickly Become
First-Class Soldiers.
PRODUCTS OF THE ISLANDS

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12.-Commander
b. F. Tflley, U. s. N. governor of the
united States possessions in Samoa, who
has just arrived here on leave OF absence,
discussing conditions there. said:
The natives are now docie and content
ed When i was boarding the Ventura
they gave me a ''siewa" or Samoan chari-
varf to show me their good will. Ten girls
and ten men followed the boat singing and
making music by beating mats with sticks.
A great many farewell tokens were pressed
upon me, but the customs officers demand
ed duty on them, and the presents are
hardly worth the expense.
I'VE have permitted the natives to fol-
low their own customs when they were not
pernicious. 1t was necessary to reform
their customs regulating marriage and d.
vorce. The uniqueness of the conditions
and the remoteness from higher authority
compelled me to act the part of a supreme
law giver as well as that of an executive
officer. / issued ordinances forbidding the
transfer of real property to whites by ma
tives and regulating contracts between ma
tlVeS and whites The ordinances were
necessary for the protection of the natives
and the general laws OF the United States
DO not MI the conditions in the islands
Division Into Counties.
THE possessions are divided into coun-
eASS' CdSH soNtIEeu DE a native ODlCer 6p-
pointed by the American commander This
system has pleased the Samoans. Recently
the chiefs at Faga Togo offered the water
front land to the government at a reason
able price and announced that they would
build Presbyterian Church with the
money. The London mission works among
them. All the natives are Christians and
extremely religious.
Peace was what the islanders needed.
They had been warning perpetually and the
warfare interfered with production. The
soil voluntarily yields bread fruit. cocoanut
and everything the Samoans require to eat.
and there is really no reason why they
should work. 1t is not surprising there
fore that they are inclined to idleness.
Under the American stimulus the prod
uct or our possessions ought to double
within a year or two. The area of planta-
tion is increasing. Copra is the principal
production. although the cocoa and tobacco
crops are worth notice. The white pepals-
tion Of American Samoa is about ITO all
told.
+ Evidence OF the docility Of the natives
is the fact that recently they raised a tax
levy OF 81 500, paid in Copra, to defray the
cost of the native part Of the government.
Character Of the Natives.
The Samoans are not permitted to have
whisky, but they do not like il any way,
and 1t is no trouble to keep them sober.
They are a brave. warlike. hospitable peo-
PIE, Qulte tne HTtst natives L nave ever
seen. Our government ought II possible,
to preserve the race from admixture. We
have enlisted fifty-eight Samoans in the
navy as landsmen, ordinary seamen, sea-
men 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 to water and rapidly become ex-
perts in the school of the soldier. An en-
listed Samoan, drawing SIC. $50 or $40 in
American money, is tremendous swell
among the natives. He makes a good SOL
der, fighting being the Samoans speciality.
Il DO not think the commerce of the is.
lands ever will amount to a great deal.
The chief value of the islands to this
country is the great harbor which is pro-
tected against hurricanes and can easily
be made secure against an enemy. Con-
gress has passed an appropriation to eua-
BILE us to enlarge the coal storage capacity
OF the harbor to 10000 TONS enough to coal
a fleet. The harbor is 1900 miles from
Honolulu. 400 miles from Auckland and
ABOUT 1900 from Sydney. German Samoa
Is doing well under Governor SoIf a broad
minded man. Lieutenant Commander Do.
rin is now in command at Samoa"