THE UNITED STATES AND SAMOA 265 



Notwithstanding the dissatisfaction felt in Samoa and in 

 the capitals of all three of the contracting powers (espe- 

 cially in Washington, where more conservative ideas of 

 foreign relations existed than in either London or Berlin), 

 no further attempt was ever made to alter the Berlin Act. 

 The Samoans continued to complain ; the foreigners in the 

 islands controlled their jealousies as best they could, and all 

 waited and hoped for some change. Relief came suddenly 

 and in a most unexpected manner. 



In 1898 news of the death of one of the chiefs who had 

 accompanied Mataafa in his exile to the Marshall Islands dis- 

 tressed the Samoan natives. A large majority were dissatis- 

 fied with the rule of Malietoa Laupepa, as they had condemned 

 the manner in which that monarch had been thrust upon 

 them. They had never ceased to hope that justice would 

 yet be done their favorite chieftain, the great Mataafa. The 

 fear lest he, too, might succumb to the unhealthy climate of 

 the Marshalls, and suffer the disgrace of dying in exile, 

 brought about a persistent clamor for his pardon, and for his 

 restoration to his own people. Even Laupepa, his rival, 

 joined in the petition to the powers for the pardon and 

 return of Mataafa. The old hero was released, and he soon 

 after reappeared in his native province, amid the rejoicings 

 of his devoted followers. He was under strict promise to 

 keep the peace, and to respect the rights of King Malietoa 

 Laupepa there should be no more revolutions. 



Mataafa had scarcely arrived in Samoa when King Malietoa 

 Laupepa died. This was in August, 1898. According to 

 Samoan customs, there is no direct succession to the crown, 

 nor can the king appoint his successor. The manner of 

 selecting a ruler is peculiar. Only those belonging to certain 

 clans or families are eligible ; and of these, the one who has 

 had bestowed upon him, by the people of his own or of other 

 provinces, a certain number of honorific titles, is accepted as 

 monarch over all. It usually happens that the bestowal of 

 honors is carried to an unwarrantable degree during an 

 election period, and numberless disputes arise between 

 claimants as to the authority of a tribe to grant titles, and 



