The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-18

Very recently II came to my notice
that In some OF the villages there was
an old law or custom that II = man
belonged to the London Missio. Soc-
ety's church and changed his religion
to any other. such as Catholic or Nor
mon, he must leave his village at
once. An order has been issued abos'
ishing all such laws or customs rs be-
ing contrary to the Constitution OF the
United States.
At the naval station proper. at Page
Pago Harbor. a coal shed and steel
wharf have been completed. Grading
Is going on and new buildings are being
designed. The Samoans are poor Ia
borers. There are about fifty natives
of other South Sea Islands. such M
Tonga, Niue and Rotumah. here and
they are the best laborers. There are
about half q dozen white mechanics.
such as blacksmiths. carpenters. etc..
here. The natives receive 81 per day:
mechanics, ETC.. from 81 to "a per
day. The cost Of living Is very high
here.
An order was issued making the duty
on opium the same as that In the
United States. This was done In order
to prevent the importation of opium
into these islands and then shipping It
TO the United States free Of duty. BY
an order from the Treasury Depart
ment the products Of these islands and
importations into these islands are
permitted to be imported into the
United States free Of duty.
During the year The arms that had
been collected from the natives by or
der Of the C0mmandant were paid for
and sent home by the U. 8. 8. "Abar-
enda." The total number Of arms col
lected was 362, and the natives e
paid an average Of $10.l4 each. These
arms had been collected and stored FOL.
over a year. as there was no money
available to pay for them. until the
President ordered that $4,000 be al
lotted from the Emergency Fund for
that purpose. The arms were mostly
old and Of little value. but In paying
for them the facts that the natives had
to turn them In, that they had paid
very high prices for them. and the
prices paid for similar arms by the
International High Commission. were
considered.
Owing to the want Of funds very
little has been done In the way Of as
sIsting the schools. In every village
there are schools. with native teachers
who have been taught by the mission
aries. They are elementary schools,
In which the children are taught to
read and write in Samoan. and to make
simple calculations. etc. Besides these
there are three higher schools under
the London Mission Society. two under
the Catholic Mission ana three under
the Mormon Mission. These schools
have white teachers, excert one. which
has q competent native teacher. In
these schools the pupils are taught
English and some Of the higher
branches, and in all Of them a part Of
the time Is given to work at cultiyat-
Ing, gathering and cooking food. etc.
Recommendation has been made for
money to establish public schools here
that shall not be under any denomina-
ton.
To sum up what has been done with
in the last year: The native officials,
while still far from being efficient In
their duties. are learning and have ad-
vanced somewhat. The greater part Of
the people obey the'laws and. I think,
like the Government and are friendly
to the United States. They have gath
cred a larger crop Of copra and are get
ting q higher price this year than ever
before. Practically there has been
peace for two years In the islands-a
rather long period Of quletude for
Saroa. The natives have made a fair
beginning at bodybuilding. There Is
quite a trade In curios. such as tappa
cloth, mats. baskets. shells. ETC.. with
passengers on the steamers which stop
here both ways every three weeks on
the route from San Francisco to sgd
ney. The natives are prosperous and
happy. They are naturally suspicious
of white people and in the past have
been cheated by traders. 1t is hoped
that by fair dealing and by kindness
they will soon see that 1t is not the
desire nor intention Of the United
States to take their lands from them
or 70 tax them: that they will be pro-
tected In their lives and property and
that the United States desires nothing
else except the control Of Pago Pago
Harbor and the few acres Of land nee
essary for a naval station. and that as
far as possible the Samoans shall gov
ern themselves.
New Kind Of Playground For Children.
In the Geological Garden at Berlin O
dasIrahje innovation haS been intro