Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-02

expected to see the day come. and ere long,
when there would be q proposition oeiors !,
the Senate that would bring up the nun
question OF
THE DIFFERENCES AT ISSUE
between the United States and Germany.
The testimony OF Consul General Sewell
was still q secret document, and until II
was made public,t . real question cou'o
not be properly discussed. There is not q
fourth-rate power in Europe which, IL It
had been party to the conference Win
Germany as to the autonomy and lnde'
pendence OF Samoa, and if Germany, pend
ing that conference, without notice, deilDer-
ately ordered her ships Of war to violate
that autonomy and independence, would
not have ,risked it's life on demand ior
the immediate restoration OF the status
quo.
He was sorry to see q disposition TO
shrink from meeting
THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The consular agent Of the United States
at Samoa, officers and crews OF the Ameri-
cen ships there and the United States citi-
zens residing there could not fail to be
5humiliated by the fact that their Govern
mept permitted Germany TO trample upon
their rights and upon the rights OF Samoa,
in the face Of treaty stipulations and IN
derstandings.
Instead Of trying to cover them up, wis.
dom and prudence and the interests OF the
country required the facts to be met.
the government OF the United States had
assumed obligations to Samoa it should
dr1tioa IN ira
citizens there, it should perform those
duties. If the flag OF the United States had
been insulted, if the property OF the United
States citizens in Samoa had been placed
at the cy of the German n traders through
the action of the German government the
fact ought to bereeognized, ami or OF the
two things ought to be done. Ii ths rights
Of the United States were to be abruptly
abandoned, the American consul and the
commanders of the American ships ought
to be called home. and not
SUBJECTED TO INSULT AND DEGRADATION,
and whatever rights the United States had
there ought to be abandoned, or else the
rights which belonged to this country ought
to be asserted squarely and manfully.
Frye added some further remarks as to
-
to the commercial and other interests oi
the United States on the Pacific Ocean, and
then proceeded to read and comment upon
the Associated Press dispatch just received
from Outland, New Zealand. The dispatch
and comments ran along in this way:
"The advices from Samoa state that the
German officials have given notice that all
vessels arriving there will be searched for
ari icles contraband OF war;" So that the
rights of search OF American vessels lit this
dispatch is correct) is asserted by Ger
many.
'.They have suppressed the samoan
Times" II that be true, then free speech is
stopped in Samoa.
"A passenger on British steamer, who
visited Mataafa's camp, was Immediately
put under arrest, but subsequently released
in compliance with demand OF the Brit
ish consul" If he had been an American
I suppose it would not have done for the
American consul to demand bis release.
"a proclamation has been issued, putting
the Apian police force under German con-
troll. Mentraffe's controls numbers 5000.
They are strongly intrenched, and Sa-
means are rapidly joining them. On
the arrival OF the steamer Richmond it
was boarded and searched for guns"
GERMAN ARROGANCE.
OF course, Frye continued, don't know
whether the statements are true or not.
But if they are true, then the Germans
have arrogated to themselves in Samoa
the right to search vessels going into a har-
Dor OF q nation with which we are in treaty
relations, have undertaken the suppression
of free speech, and are assuming control OF
the police of Apia-a municipality which,
by agreement between Germany, England
and the United States and Samoan King
was made neutral ground.
Reagan, in view of the remarks OF the Sem
ator from Maine (Mr. Frye, who is a
member of the commission on foreign rela-
tions, thought that it would be perhaps
best to let the amendments pass as re-
ported; and in view of the fact that mat.
ters are very rapidly assuming such shape
that we shall probably have the question
before US in another form very soon, 1
withdraw my amendment.
Hale expressed q belief that German in.
reference in Samoa had been a direct act
OF the German government, and in pursu-
ance OF settled policy on the part OF that
government.
The amendments were then agreed to-,
without division.