第 14 节
作者:
闪啊闪 更新:2024-08-29 08:48 字数:9322
said; and; on the same question arising in another province; decide
it perhaps otherwise。 I gather; on the whole; our artillery
captain was not great in law。 Two articles refer to a matter I
must deal with more at length; and rather from the point of view of
the white residents。
The common charge against Brandeis was that of favouring the German
firm。 Coming as he did; this was inevitable。 Weber had bought
Steinberger with hard cash; that was matter of history。 The
present government he did not even require to buy; having founded
it by his intrigues; and introduced the premier to Samoa through
the doors of his own office。 And the effect of the initial blunder
was kept alive by the chatter of the clerks in bar…rooms; boasting
themselves of the new government and prophesying annihilation to
all rivals。 The time of raising a tax is the harvest of the
merchants; it is the time when copra will be made; and must be
sold; and the intention of the German firm; first in the time of
Steinberger; and again in April and May; 1888; with Brandeis; was
to seize and handle the whole operation。 Their chief rivals were
the Messrs。 MacArthur; and it seems beyond question that provincial
governors more than once issued orders forbidding Samoans to take
money from 〃the New Zealand firm。〃 These; when they were brought
to his notice; Brandeis disowned; and he is entitled to be heard。
No man can live long in Samoa and not have his honesty impugned。
But the accusations against Brandeis's veracity are both few and
obscure。 I believe he was as straight as his sword。 The governors
doubtless issued these orders; but there were plenty besides
Brandeis to suggest them。 Every wandering clerk from the firm's
office; every plantation manager; would be dinning the same story
in the native ear。 And here again the initial blunder hung about
the neck of Brandeis; a ton's weight。 The natives; as well as the
whites; had seen their premier masquerading on a stool in the
office; in the eyes of the natives; as well as in those of the
whites; he must always have retained the mark of servitude from
that ill…judged passage; and they would be inclined to look behind
and above him; to the great house of MISI UEBA。 The government was
like a vista of puppets。 People did not trouble with Tamasese; if
they got speech with Brandeis; in the same way; they might not
always trouble to ask Brandeis; if they had a hint direct from MISI
UEBA。 In only one case; though it seems to have had many
developments; do I find the premier personally committed。 The
MacArthurs claimed the copra of Fasitotai on a district mortgage of
three hundred dollars。 The German firm accepted a mortgage of the
whole province of Aana; claimed the copra of Fasitotai as that of a
part of Aana; and were supported by the government。 Here Brandeis
was false to his own principle; that personal and village debts
should come before provincial。 But the case occurred before the
promulgation of the law; and was; as a matter of fact; the cause of
it; so the most we can say is that he changed his mind; and changed
it for the better。 If the history of his government be considered
… how it originated in an intrigue between the firm and the
consulate; and was (for the firm's sake alone) supported by the
consulate with foreign bayonets … the existence of the least doubt
on the man's action must seem marvellous。 We should have looked to
find him playing openly and wholly into their hands; that he did
not; implies great independence and much secret friction; and I
believe (if the truth were known) the firm would be found to have
been disgusted with the stubbornness of its intended tool; and
Brandeis often impatient of the demands of his creators。
But I may seem to exaggerate the degree of white opposition。 And
it is true that before fate overtook the Brandeis government; it
appeared to enjoy the fruits of victory in Apia; and one dissident;
the unconquerable Moors; stood out alone to refuse his taxes。 But
the victory was in appearance only; the opposition was latent; it
found vent in talk; and thus reacted on the natives; upon the least
excuse; it was ready to flame forth again。 And this is the more
singular because some were far from out of sympathy with the native
policy pursued。 When I met Captain Brandeis; he was amazed at my
attitude。 〃Whom did you find in Apia to tell you so much good of
me?〃 he asked。 I named one of my informants。 〃He?〃 he cried。 〃If
he thought all that; why did he not help me?〃 I told him as well
as I was able。 The man was a merchant。 He beheld in the
government of Brandeis a government created by and for the firm who
were his rivals。 If Brandeis were minded to deal fairly; where was
the probability that he would be allowed? If Brandeis insisted and
were strong enough to prevail; what guarantee that; as soon as the
government were fairly accepted; Brandeis might not be removed?
Here was the attitude of the hour; and I am glad to find it clearly
set forth in a despatch of Sewall's; June 18th; 1888; when he
commends the law against mortgages; and goes on: 〃Whether the
author of this law will carry out the good intentions which he
professes … whether he will be allowed to do so; if he desires;
against the opposition of those who placed him in power and protect
him in the possession of it … may well be doubted。〃 Brandeis had
come to Apia in the firm's livery。 Even while he promised
neutrality in commerce; the clerks were prating a different story
in the bar…rooms; and the late high feat of the knight…errant;
Becker; had killed all confidence in Germans at the root。 By these
three impolicies; the German adventure in Samoa was defeated。
I imply that the handful of whites were the true obstacle; not the
thousands of malcontent Samoans; for had the whites frankly
accepted Brandeis; the path of Germany was clear; and the end of
their policy; however troublesome might be its course; was obvious。
But this is not to say that the natives were content。 In a sense;
indeed; their opposition was continuous。 There will always be
opposition in Samoa when taxes are imposed; and the deportation of
Malietoa stuck in men's throats。 Tuiatua Mataafa refused to act
under the new government from the beginning; and Tamasese usurped
his place and title。 As early as February; I find him signing
himself 〃Tuiaana TUIATUA Tamasese;〃 the first step on a dangerous
path。 Asi; like Mataafa; disclaimed his chiefship and declared
himself a private person; but he was more rudely dealt with。
German sailors surrounded his house in the night; burst in; and
dragged the women out of the mosquito nets … an offence against
Samoan manners。 No Asi was to be found; but at last they were
shown his fishing…lights on the reef; rowed out; took him as he
was; and carried him on board a man…of…war; where he was detained
some while between…decks。 At last; January 16th; after a farewell
interview over the ship's side with his wife; he was discharged
into a ketch; and along with two other chiefs; Maunga and Tuiletu…
funga; deported to the Marshalls。 The blow struck fear upon all
sides。 Le Mamea (a very able chief) was secretly among the
malcontents。 His family and followers murmured at his weakness;
but he continued; throughout the duration of the government; to
serve Brandeis with trembling。 A circus coming to Apia; he seized
at the pretext for escape; and asked leave to accept an engagement
in the company。 〃I will not allow you to make a monkey of
yourself;〃 said Brandeis; and the phrase had a success throughout
the islands; pungent expressions being so much admired by the
natives that they cannot refrain from repeating them; even when
they have been levelled at themselves。 The assumption of the Atua
NAME spread discontent in that province; many chiefs from thence
were convicted of disaffection; and condemned to labour with their
hands upon the roads … a great shock to the Samoan sense of the
becoming; which was rendered the more sensible by the death of one
of the number at his task。 Mataafa was involved in the same
trouble。 His disaffected speech at a meeting of Atua chiefs was
betrayed by the girls that made the kava; and the man of the future
was called to Apia on safe…conduct; but; after an interview;
suffered to return to his lair。 The peculiarly tender treatment of
Mataafa must be explained by his relationship to Tamasese。 Laupepa
was of Malietoa blood。 The hereditary retainers of the Tupua would
see him exiled even with some complacency。 But Mataafa was Tupua
himself; and Tupua men would probably have murmured; and would
perhaps have mutinied; had he been harshly dealt with。
The native opposition; I say; was in a sense continuous。 And it
kept continuously grow