The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-02-01
Confirmation Ofthe RepOrtthat Germany
Has Declared War Against Mataafa.
Martial Law Has Been Declared and the Police
Force Placed Under German Control
The Situation Considered Critical.
IN THE SENATE.
German Interference i'm Samoa Vigorously
Discussed bY Several Members.

German Interference i'm Samoa Vigorously
Discussed by Several Members.
WASHINGTON Jan. 31.-After the passage
of few private bills the Senate resumed
consideration of thediplomatic and con-
sular appropriation bill. the pending ques-
tion being on the amendment referring to
Samoa.
Mr.. Reagan offered the eamendm ent which
he had indicated yesterday, TO insert the
words "and for the protection of
the rights of American citizens
residing in said islands, and To
preserve the neutrality and independence
thereof" Mr.. Hale said he would not Oh
ject to the first clause of the proposed
amendment, but he was not willing to GO
further than that. He was not willing for
the Senate to declare affirmatively that il
would preserve the neutrality or maintain
the independence of any people. The mat
ter might be safely left to the executive.
Mr.. Sherman agreed with the views ex-
pressed by Mr.. Hale. and said that the COM
mlttee on foreign relations had agreed
unanimously TO the two amendments re-
ported. The words proposed to be inserted
by Mr.. Reagan's amendment, If they had
any meaning at all, only tended TO weaken
the force OF the language used IN the COM
mittee's amendments. Why talk, he asked.
about protection TO American citiZensf
What act of cruelty had been done in Sa-
mOa to any American citizenf No Ameri-
can citizen had been killed there. Why
Sc Fourth of July language" in "A
bill defining the purpose and objects
of the President in enforcing
and maintaining treaty obligationsi He
trusted that, as the Democratic party was
so strongly represented in the committee on
foreign relations by such distinguished
gentlemen as Senators Morgan, Salisbury,
George and Payne, the amendments would
be allowed to stand as they were reported
Mr.. FRYE did not agree with Mr. Sherman
that no wrongs had been committed in
Samoa against American citizens. He
thought the evidence very conclusive thas
wrongs had been committed on them; but
that was not the true issue, and he hoped
the Senator from Texas would not insist on
his amendment now. The remarks of the
Senator yesterday indicated that he and
himself were in entire accord on the matter
of Samoa. The two amendments reported
from the committee on foreign rela-
tiOns were not, in his judgment, such as
the committee was called upon to report;
but, so far as they went. they were right,
and ought to be sustained. They did not
comprise all that Congress ought TO do.
The remarks of the Senator from Texas
came very much nearer 10 1t than the re-
port of the committee. 1t was not Ger
many. 1t was not Bismarck. 1t was moth
ing but German trading firm. That firm
had absolute and supreme power to-day
over the Samoan islands, and the German
consul received his orders from 1T. He
doubted whether Germany had any under
standing of what had really been going on
at those islands for the last two or three
years. The Germans had, without any
authority, and with one of the gravest III,
suits ever committed against the United
States, deliberately elevated TO power and
made king rebel-Tamasese-who had not
a Samoan chief behind him; not one. Tam
asese was nothing but -puppet IN the
| hands of the German trading firm. If he
were permitted to be established and were
| recognized as king one of his first
| acts-under the instructions of the German
| trading firm-would be TO give the
| treaty with the United States, and the
| harbOr of Pagopago would be utterly lost
| to the United States. In his Judgment the
amendments reported by the committee on
! foreign relations did not bring up the real
| Samoan question. The real question at is
| sue to-day between the United States and
| the empire of Germany was nOtnecessarlly
| before the Senate for discussion under
| his Judgment, was the Senate ready to-day
| for the discussion. He expected 10 see the
| day come, and ere long, when there would
| be proposition before the Senate, report
| ed, he hoped, from the committee on for
| eign relations, that would bring up the
| whole question of the differences at issue
| between the United States and Germany.
Then he should be very happy, indeed, TO
| OF Consulgeneral Sewall was still
| a secret document, and until it was made
| public the real question could not be
| properly discussed. There is not fourth
| rate power in Europe which, if it had been
a party TO a conference with Germany
| as 10 the autonomy and independence OF
| Samoa, and If Germany, pending that con-
ference and without notice, had denber-
| ately ordered her ships of war TO violate
that autonomy and independence, would
| not have risked its life on the demand Tor
| an immediate restoration of the status quo.
| A European power could not be found
| that would not have done 1t.
| Mr.. Reagan resented, with some warmth,
| Mr. Sherman's allusion TO the Fourth of
July language" of his amendment, and Mr..
| Sherman disclaimed any offensive intention
| In making use of IT.
| Mr. Reagan then went on TO say that he
| agreed with Mr.. Frye that there was not q
| fourth-rate European power that would
| have stood the insults which the United
| States government has stood from Ger
many" He was sorry, he said, TO see dispo-
sitiOn to shrink from meeting the duty
| of the government. The consular
agent of the United States at
Samoa: the officers and crews OF American
ships there. and the United States citizens
residing there could not fail 10 be huinlil-
ated by the fact that their government had
| permitted Germany TO trample upon their
rights and upon the rights OF Samoa, IN the
face of treaty stipulations and understand
ings. Instead of trying TO cover them mp,
| wisdom and prudence and the interests OF
| the country required the facts TO be met.
| Ii the government of the United States had
| assumed obligations TO Samoa, It shonld
| execute them. If il owed duties to its citi-
zens there it should perform those duties.
| If the flag of the United States had been
| insulted; If property of United States citi-
zens in Samoa had been placed at the mercy
of German traders through the action of
| the German government, the fact ought 10
be recognized and one OF two things ought
TO be done. If the rights of the United
| States were TO be abruptly aban-
doned, the American consul and the
| commanders of American ships ought
| to be called home. and not subjected
to insult and degradation, and whatever
| rights the United States had there ought 10
be abandoned: or else the rights which
belonged TO this country ought 10 be as
serted squarely and manfully.
Mr.. Frye added some further remarks as
| to the Importance of the harbor of Pago-
| paeo 10 the commercial and other interests
| of the United States on the Pacific ocean,
and then proceeded to read and comment
upon an Associated Press dispatch Just re-
ceived from Auckland. New Zealand. The
! dispatch and comments ran along IN this
way: "Advices from Samoa state that the
| German officials have given notice that all
vessels arriving there will be searched for
| articles contraband of war;" 80 that the
| right of search of American vessels. IL TINS
/ diSpafeh = correct Is asserted Dv Germany.