AN AMERICAN WRITER ON SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11010, 14 March 1899, Page 3

AN AMERICAN WRITER ON SAMOA.

HE THINKS ENGLAND SHOULD GOVERN.

7 -Mr. Poultekey Bicelow, a well-known - American writer, sends to the New York - Herald an interesting article on Samoa, and 1 the action of the Germans there. He says : — 1 "There is little doubt in my mind from what 1 saw and heard last summer in the 2 Philippines that the German squadron, with J its base at Kiao-Chow, was prepared tu seize any opportunity for embarrassing RearAdmiral Dewey and acquiring for Germany • a share in the Philippines. A less coolheaded or courageous man than Dewey might have been intimidated oy the German tactics. Even Dewey might have been seriously embarrassed had not the English cap- ! tain, Chichester, unhesitatingly avowed i frank understanding with the American Admiral, and given the German naval commander to understand the exact nature of his sympathies. ":is the Herman naval officers in Samoa failed in fitting courtesy to the American officials there, so in the"Philippines. Both ■ the English and Americans resented the oei buriuur of the German officers. " So much for the past, with its side light ■ on historic events. Hismarck is dead, but : ' his system persists. To nun colonies were only a means of diverting the popular mind from painful domestic questions. The pre- ' sent Emperor, however, treats the matter seriously. He has no thought of annexing any more tropical deserts which other countries have thrown away. If his past language can give a clue to his future conduct one may reasonably anticipate that henceforth he will contest with every other maritime Power such fractions of the earth as are still to be secured. " Robert Louis .Stevenson, who knew Samoa and its people better than any other man, and whose fairness of mind was one 'if his most beautiful qualities, in a letter to a friend, under the date December 20, 1892, wrote : — '"I have done what Mr. suggests, and sent a copy of my "Fool Note to History" (his Samoa book) to the German Emperor. Prom his silence, which has been up to now (August. 1), 1 gather he did not, like it.' "The year before he died Stevenson wrote mo a letter, showing that the fate of Samoa was of constant concern to him. That letter seems now prophetic. "'I fear that the cure for Samoa is now not. one likely to please the German Emperor. When my hook was written (in 18921 it was still possible to have reconciled Mulaafa and Malietoa (rival kings). This is now 100 late. The treaty has lost all authority with the Samoans, ami they have plunged again into that state of declared rebellion and sporadic war which was natural to them from the beginning, and which must always be natural to a nation of armed clans, and what 1 wish and could hope is that we should pass into the hands of Great Britain, the natural, and, I think, on the whole, tire salutary end. but I fear it. will not be easihf commended to the Kaiser.' " This letter was dated Vailima, Samoa, July 14, 1893, and appears in print now for the first time. " In Samoa are three great Powers, represented by three petty officers, each one of whom is interested in protecting his alleged dignity, and, of course, utterly indifferent as to what meanwhile becomes of tiro Sanioan people, who happen to have very clear ideas regarding certain inherited social and political relations, for which they are pa-pared to light when driven to the wall. The joint occupation of Samoa is just as absurd as would be. a joint occupation of the Philippines or of Cuba. Robert Louis Stevenson was animated by no bias when he deliberately expressed to me his opinion that England should govern Samoa. England knows how to govern colonies, and shows a disposition to govern justly. Americans know also how to govern subject races, but, wo have not latterly shown any disposition to select good material for , government service of this nature. "Rather than continue the present state of anarchy we would do better to pocket. our respective feelings and pull straws to determine who should govern alone, at least, at Apia. The world can but pray ' that England might be favoured by the best : straw. The United Slate.- nftmld. no ! doubt, be second in popular favour, tier- ' many coming last, not Imi-iiii»> her colonial , set vice lacks honesty and high education, but because Germany continues to think that men who arc successful in drilling re- < emits must necessarily be capable of founding a. colony."