Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-30
The NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Some Genuine Americans Need
ed at Foreign Courts.
Our Samoan Relations
Explained In 4 Clear xanneR by Senator
Sherman.
4 Vigorous and Manly Policy De-
manded
WAsHISGTos, Jan. 29.
Senate.

In the Senate MIR. Chandler offered reso-
lntions which were agreed to, calling on the
Secretary Of the Navy for a statement Of ex-
penditures for each six months Of the pres
ent fiscal year from appropriations for con-
struetion and repairs of vessels aud for
steam machinery, also for statement as TO
the nature. extent and cause of the recent
accident To the ;ruiser Baltimore.
The Senate resumed the consideration of
the diplomatic and cons Ilar appropriation
bill.
In the discussion of Gibson's amendment
10 the Appropriation bill, Dawes said the
discussion had co ne regularly Oh every con-
salar and department appropriation bill since
he had been in Congress. He always voted
against 1t, and had been good deal over
snelmed yesterday with the Importance of
| the subj ect and at one time almost ready to
go back on his record in the matter. But
after sleeping on it, he had come back to
the feeling that however inconvenieat it
might be for American ministers to take
| lower seat at a table or backward position in
the drawing room, that vas not half so bad
as the tearing away of the distinctive char
acter of American institutions When Ben
Jamin Franklin insisted on appearing at the
| proudest and most fashionable court of
Europe in the style of the country he repre-
sented, he was poxer, and that power had
| come somewhat from his determination to
be respected as an individual, not ACCORDING
to the garb he wore or the name which the
infant giant he represented had chosen to put
upon his mission. There was something re-
pugnant in the idea of Americans going
| abroad and losing their individual character,
just as it was excessively repuguant to see
them bringing back from the old country
the ways of foreigners, bangiug their horses
tails aud wearing eye glasses, as Mr.. Plumb
described yesterday. Such a thing would
grow, and by and by when the Pope
SAID nobody should be admitted
into his presence without conforming TO GER
tam ceremonies (proper enough FOR him and
for those who believe in them, Americans
would be required to do that aud would have
in Turkey to array themselves in the costume
of that country
Morrill, expressed the opinion that whether
the title Of ministers were changed or not
the appropriation for several ought TO be in
creased by amount sufficient to pay the
rental of the houses they occupied. He
knew of instances in which the American
minister TO London paid $4,000 a year for
fouse which in Washington would not cost
more than three or four or five thousand dol
lars. The English government, he said,
paid its minister s25 900 a year and fur
nished him in addition with a magnificent
house.
Gibsons amendment was agreed to-27 to
"a
Plumb then moved to strike out the whole
paragraph and insert in lieu the words "for
the purpose of enabling the Pres,dent TO pro-
Great Britain, $50 900" lie said that if it
prevailed he would move TO insert similar
paragraph as to other internations- Re-
jected without division.
The amendments in relation TO Samoa
having been reached on motion of Hale the
Senate went into executive session.
| When the doors we're reopened Sherman
said that he would like to state publicly his
position in the Samoan question so that it
ight appear in the record. The question
involved was exciting attention in other
countries, and it was due the Senate and the
people of the [ nited States that he, as he
had reported the amendment from the COM
mittee on foreign relations. should state IN
rather a skeleton manner the facts IN regard
to the matter. He would do so without any
I feeling whatever, because he hoped the
Senate would be unanimous in the adoption
of the amet lments Sherman then de-
scribed the location and importance OF the
Samoan slanls. which comprised a
thousand square miles, had 324,oOo
innocent, harmless, usctable, good hu-
mored people of the Polynesian race
and about 800 foreigners, German, Ehglsh
and Ame ricans with various commercial es
tablishments The islands have been ex-
plored, and surveys mapped by Admiral
Wilkes. The attention of the United States
has been early called to them and spec'a'
aJapt was sent there who afterwards became
nd u,aua be-
tween the United States and Samoa in 1875
which gave to the United States the privil-
eoe of entering and using the harbor OF
P.yo-P,go, and of establishing there q coal
inp and naval supply station. In case OF
differences with other nations. the United
States agreed to employ its good offices IN
a5instiny such differences. This was the
basis of right of the United
State. to occupy, hoid ahu
establish in the harbor of Pago Pago . station
for coal and other naval supplies Some
, vbat similar treaties were later made witt
, Germany and Great Britain, granting ike
priyileye at other points. Later arrange
ments were mado, all four nations being par
I tie. there to. by which the town and distric
4 of Apia were constituted a municipality anf
declared neutral territory. lhis tefflot,
which was now known as the capital O
Samoa was set aside for commercial purpos
es. the government of Samoa being pracu
. cally excluded from it, The municipa
h,arI consisted of the German. English an
American consuls. By the treaty OF aprho
1856 between Germany and Great Britain
.,r, of delimitation was established for tn
t, jurisdiction of each government IN Tn
III Polynesian group. with disclaimer that TN
l. partition ,h0uld apply to Samoa and tina
e wa one of the legal statutes today. \
e other arrangement or agreement has eve
# been made hat affected the rights of tn
several parties.
There was always sort of a quasi wa
existing in Samoa between several orabc"e
80 ,ba ,eonle The general opinion o
n American consular agents was that the pee
= nile were totally unfit to conduct a regu
formal government The civil war contI
70 ned until 1883. when by the aid of CONSUL
- II was settled by an agreement that Mailei
or should be King and Tamasese, wee hins
q. Later Malieta appealed to Queen Nicto,''
DO asking that his government De anheheu
New Zealand. Germany protested 'igo
ouslv In 1854 the German consul made
treaty. with Mslieta making Germany supreu
;nst,nda. England and the United Stat
refused scquiescence and Germany repud
g sted the treaty 1t was evident that Il
n pre.ent rebellion had been organized by IL
w. German consul and German named Meo
WAS at the head of a large commission hous
The German fleet arrived At the islands
1856 The vice admiral sent saucy lett
to Nsliets after this as Consul Greenoau
IN raised the United States flag at the requf
re- of Maliets, over the pubic buildings
ne Ap;a. for a time this checked the action
he German local authorities. Later t
for English. German and American Cons'
again Joined in declaration that Tamase
Nv. hsi never been recognized BY either
At. King and that MalietA was King Con'
d. C;reenbaum's part in this act was disavow
oh bv the American Government as ne had
he more right to assert protectorate there II
b.. the German or English Consul had WI
the agents of the English, German
u. the American Governments were investizAt
I"e IN. situation. the German Government
VI" nosed Nslieta and set up Tamasese in 81
the Of the negotiations they were making for
Ad- statue quo we're indications hat the Engl
Government vas coineiding with the Germ
ire policy. s
He found in the papers no justification
nal Germany. Bismarck asserted equal rg
the of each of the three governments but
the sisted that it would be better TO place
m, custody of the islands under the eos'rot