THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1888.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume 1, Issue 1, 29 September 1888, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1888.

Some six or seven years hive now j elapse<l since the first newspaper ■ publication in Samoa was discon- ' tinned, the proprietors removing j their printing plant and effects from j the Island. The direct cause of j such removal baa not been satisfac- j lorily explained. Some people at- | triVnite its collapse (o want of sufrfcienl support, while others as*o<Jt that the proprietors or their ropre- ! scntafives had failed to give satisfaetion to one or other of the poli-! ticnlly divided sections of the coin- • mnnitv. If the hitter has !>cen ; the cause o? failure it may nt count ;

fur o\f time that hr.s liocn allowed I tn elapse before any attempt ' li;ul been made for the introduction i of a new journal, managers of news- i papers nil'! editors hoinp, .10 'lout t, deterred by the fate of tlie ilrrf it-' temjit. for without the the help of j ♦ he mai..itv of the residents ofj Samoa, or at least the city, no newspaper could Ik- financially successful, j In conducting an independent j journal an editor must necessarily comment on nil mutter* of public interest. Tl is his duty to lav al' grievances that may come under his | knowledge before the public, and I le so doing probably pive uninten- j tional offence to one side or the i other of our political parties, but i until animni on the part of the editor is plainly shown he has | n ricfht to 1"> supported. The pub- ! Heat ion of nnv snhject of national j importance, fairly and truthfully ' put, should no*, pnnov any wellintentioned citizen, r« < should the newly acquired term." Boycott in;;." be held ns a threat for the purpose of inducing him to withhold any subject of public interest. A newspaper is an universally acknowledged requirement in every eivilise.l nation in the world, and if such is conducted with an honest desire to convey fairly ;.iid truthfully thnwuntt and requirement.- of the community ?n which i. is pub-

li-.li-J. an-1 gi\.. place in its columns to all foreign information that may Ik* of interest in the Island, (lies

proprietor of such a journnl may reasonably expect support on those grounds, and with all confidence we feel assured that bettor success will attend our effort* than has been accorded to our predecessors. We. as comparative strangers, tin not presume at present to ofler an opinion in favor of any particular form of government. This we leave to more experienced resilient*. Our

columns will l>e always open for tin? discussion of any subject af-

fecting Sainoan intercuts, no matter from what party the communications may be received, or whit particular view of Sainoan matters they ma\ contain. In fact, we invite public discussion, None .-hall l>e refuted, provided personalities he avoided. No i,dvantage 1 to the country can he gained by a useless display of bitterness or bickering. It is only by calm and temperate writing that the foundation of prosjierity in tlicsr Islands can be laid: therefore it behoves our people to fonjet past differences ami work togethor for the benefit of Saifma absolutely. It is the country of our adoption, and probably the homes of our children for generations. Now more than at any other time in the history of Samoa, the necessity is urgent for a reliable medium for spreading abroad the state of our political situation. Event* have been hurriedly developed by the late wnfr*sr*bmisands of well armed natives are around the city : we do not. know the hour that another outbreak may occur, and if such should unfortunately happen (here is no telling where it will end. The late war of September l*Jth was terrific, but with the enormous!v increased number of the armed forces on l>oth sides, and dailv increasing the destruction may be tenfold. It is oulv rea«onabln t<« expect that the representatives of the (treat Powers have suggested some course ti> their respective governments to avert as for as possible any further losj. of life. Tp to the present the lives and property of foreign n -i----dents have l>een rcspepted a> far a*ti.e rumbaf-antc could help, but in the late conflict one poor fellow, a r.ritish subject, wr.s shot dead, Should tiny future war be carried on nenr the city the lives of foreigners arc not secure. Numerous mistaken have unquestionably been made in the conduct of native affairs. To this may be attributed the present disaffection and the direct cause of the late war. Whether if was good policy of the Admiral of the Herman squadron to remove the Inte King Mnlieron from Ids people and proclaim Tarnnsese to replace him as King of Samoa, without, the consent of the majority of bis subject*, remains to l>e proved. It appcai-s to up to he a change of pvo serious a character tob«- hj, hastily made if it wa- ever necessary However in this serious matter we havt no voice. The justification m otherwise of the Ad-

inir.-i:'-i oiln.-t i- alrendv .1 divided

, <>f>inioii among tin- great nations ' • lin*ftlv interest. <l. Wo only can ; waif patiently tin* result of their ! ilol iU'rat ions for the settlement of a question of Midi vital importance to our future well-heimr. ’liny will prolmMy wake up to tin* advii snbilitv of some arrangement of our | affairs now tlmt blood has been spilt iiinl a latter feeling amongst our people engendered tli.it may take j years to erailicate. Whatever system of government those Powers may deem desirable 1 wo should live under, 'whether a 1 with a native King, j ; which in our opinion would he by | far the nmd >h*-ir:> ld<•. nruud«*rnny other flag i: is our duty to demand ' constitutional privileges, bestowing | upon us to a considerable extent the j management of our affairs. Many j iof our residents have had hitter ; experience of the Crown Colony ■ system, within a few hundred miles ! 'of our doors. Hy its pernicious ; , rule land has become valueless. It I is absolutely refused as a security i 'at all. The old planters are, with ! | a few exceptions, nearly bankrupt, 1 and many had to leave the colony : without a shilling from the effects : >of their oppressive ordinances. , We have nothing to do with Fij', | j hut we fed that we are right in j j referring to that country as a bea- , con to steer our ship to a safer i • harbor. ;