Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-18
NOT AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS
Our Samoan Representatives Get a
Little the Worst of 1t.
A TARIFF SCHEDULE ATTACHED.
Firearms and Intoxicating Liquors
the Only Articles on Which
High Rate of Duty is to
Be Imposed.
WASHINGTON BUREAU, Tue OMAHA BEE. !
-, oio ooh'hEN " ih olnSHii
WASHINGTON. ID. c., June II.

5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET, =
WASHINGTON, ID. c., June H.
AS the details of the Samoan treaty be-
came public the knowledge is gained that
the conference was not altogether onc-sided,
and that the United States failed in one ma
terial particular to maintain its points. Under
the present treaty between the United States
and the Samoan islands, the cargoes of all
vessels from and to the Samoan ISL
ands, sailing under the American
flag are exempt from duty. But this will
not be the case under the new treaty, for it
seems that q tariff schedule is appended, by
which the three contracting powers hold
themselves to be bound The tariff is to
apply to all imports from all of these coun-
tries, and no change is to be made without
the consent of the three powers and none at
all for five years after the treaty shall be
signed. 1t is learned that the tariff schedule
is identical with that proposed
by the German minister in the
conference held in this city in
1887. But while the tariff is to be main
tained against products of the United States
as well as against those coming from Eng
land and Germany, this tariff is so light that
Samoa is held to be practically a free trade
country. The intent of the commissioners
is that the funds necessary to maintain the
government of Samoa shall be collected al
most entirely from internal sources. High
duties are to be placed on firearms and in
toxicatlng liquors. These are about the only
articles which will bear a high rate of duty.
The object of attaching tariff schedule to
the treaty was to prevent each of the three
interested nations from attempting to nego-
tiate separate treaties beneficial to their own
country and correspondingly detrimental to
the others. 1t is reported here that not
withstanding the fact that the tariff schedule
is practically of German origin, it was not
altogether in accord with the views of the
German members of the conference that this
portion of the treaty was Incorporated, as
the German diplomatists desired to be free
to negotiate with the Samoan powers in such
q manner as they might desire. But the
course adopted prevents any one of the three
nations from securing undue advantages
over the others.
WORK OF ARMY MEN AT JoHNsTowN.
Captain Sears, of the engineer corps, who
has been with a platoon of that corps at
losses, has returned to Washington. He re-
ports that the men under his command put
up three pontoon bridges, which have been
of material benefit to the residents Of Johns
three men are left there, and they will pro-
ceed to build regular trestle bridges II they
can secure the material. General Casey,
chief Of engineers, in speaking OF the matter
this afternoon, said the law provides for a
battalion of engineers and that there is such
a battalion containing 500 men. They are
thoroughly competent sappers and
miners and bridge builders, and
among ,,,, the best men in the
the general. ''and while the flags of other
arms of the service contain the list of battles
in which the regiment and batteries and
troops participated, the battalion flag of the
engineer corps records participation in
every battle of the Mexican war and in every
engagement in which the Army of the
Potomac took part They are always called
upon first when there is any necessity for
fighters. They were the first to respond in
the Brooklyn riots and again in 1877 when
the regular army was called on to quell the
railroad disturbances. The engineer bat
talon was first in the field, yet in spite of all
this and the fact that these men are ready to
respond whether it is to build a bridge or
quell riot, there vas no place for them in
the centennial parade. Every other arm of
the service-infantry, cavalry, artillery, ard
even the revenue marines-were assigned a
place in the line, but there was not spot for
the engineer corps"
NEBRASKA AND IOWA PosTMAsTERs.
The following fourth class postmasters
were appointed to-day: Nebraska-Olax,
Custer county, H. P. Johnson; Tufford,
Custer county, E. w. Tufford.
Iowa-Ross, Audubon county, J. Il. Tuse;
Wayne, Henry county, II. M. Smith.
PERSONAL.
]. II. Foxworthy, of Lincoln, accompanied
by his wife, has been in Washington for
few days on business connected with the
pension Office. Mr.. and Mrs. Foxworthy
will leave on Wednesday on a trip to the
south before returning to their home.
Senator Manderson left for the west this
morning, and Washington is without Ne
braska representative.
Secretary Noble spent the afternoon with
the president, and it is understood that a
NUMBER of land Office appointments were
decided upon. 1t is learned semi officially
that there were several Nebraska cases on
the list and that the announcement of some
land Office appointments In the state will be
made during the week.
PERRY S. HEATH.