The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-28
OUR INTERESTS IN Samoa.
What Should be Done to Protect
Them.

wilmington, Del. Correspondence N. Y. Tribune. !
Among the few men in the United States
VINO nave KNOWLEDGE of Samoan affairs de-
rived from personal acquaintance with the
people of this South Pacific group and a
close investigation of their treaty relations,
Is George H. Bates. the Commissioner sent
out to Samoa by Mr.. Bayard specially charged
with the duty of informing the Department
OF State concerning the matter in all its bear
ings. Mr.. Bates visited the islands in 1886.
returning, made long and careful report.
IN which he reviewed the whole Samoan
question, commenting severely on the con-
duct OF Germany. and advising such action
by the United States as would insure native
autonomy and preserve our National in err
ests. Mr.. Bates is lawyer of Wilmington
one of the foremost men at the Newcastle
County bar. He is Democrat. the son of
the late Chancellor. He is an intimate
friend OF Secretary Bayard and strong sup
porter Of the Administration, though upon
the Samoan question he has preserved an at
titude of critical independence since the
government has failed to act in practical
support of the position it assumed ON his
recommendation.
Mr. Bates was asked what he thouoht
should be done in the present crisis. and he
said;
Our duty is plain. We should insist upon
the restoration of that condition of affairs
winch the Germans broke up by lending en-
enlargement and assistance to Tamasese.
We should insist ON the right of the Samoans
70 govern themselves, to choose their King
ana 70 comport themselves politically as
tney please. We should insist on the estab-
lishment OF an impartial land court to try the
cases of foreign claimants
well, but we are insisting on these things
are we notp MS
j. Yes. in way. Mr.; Bayard has conducted
the case with great ability, SO far as II can
De conducted with pen and ink He has
maintained II boldly and brayelv and elm
qnently In all its simple strength. hnt tha
administration, or the Government. or what
e wbaSS you g choose to call that power upon
whom uevoIves the duty of action has NOT
supported him. This is the most critical and
important situation that has arisen in the
racine since the United States internosed
AZ; anq arrested French and English aggression
MAJ ~ .iaW MA AZ must be firmly and fesolutely
met we must show Germany what we mean
ana let her know distinctly that when we
say wewiil not tolerate her conduct. we
mean every word of it.'
& Ihat would mean war, wouldn't it?,'
~ not DIT OF it. Bismarck would not
n9nt US Ior the whole of Oceanica A man
whose business is the preservation of the bal
a aH ol power on the continent Of Europe has
MS hands full But suppose he did mean
war There are worse things than war and
pug " bnem Is injustice and another is dis
nonor. An honorable man who finds himsalf
"a the situation where he must either fight or
ultaK pHghted faith, and in breaking
tnat cause upon those to whom it has been
gwen the heaviest of misfortunes and unon
nm much loss, will choose to fight, WON'T
nsY Nations cannot afford TO be less honor
able than individuals, and let me Tell NV
countrymen that we, of all people, in our re-
laIlons with South American and Pacifc
countries can afford the least to act a craven
part Uur National credit Is none too good
now, 1t must change for the better and NOT
tor the worse, If we would reap the rich har-
vest that awaits u.s.
Upon whom does devolve the duty of ac-
tlon, IN your Judgment, Mr.. Bates ?''
; don,t know | believe the President
mas all the power that the situation calls for.
ne sent fleet to Hayti with instructions to
Drlng away the Haytien Republic If thew had
10 lombard Port-au-Prince to get her. I
confess myself much at loss to see why. if
hs was empowered IN to do that. he should feel
great admiration for Mr. Cleveland and m
pounded faith in his ability and sincerity
ana DO not know just what he thinks OF
TINS crisis, as have not recently talked with
him. understand his policy to be in line
with the recommendations have made in
TINS conversation. But he says he has gone
as lar toward its enforcement as he feels
authorized to 60. In this emergency Con-
gress SHOULD Immediately equip him with au-
do you consider the instructions to Adj
miral Kimberly, sufficient to enable him to do
all he should when he reaches Samoa p''
Assuming that the published instructions
are all the instructions Kimberly has. / do
NOT see y. now ne can do effective work. as
sert II as fact that each of the naval com
nianders sent to Samoa within the past three
years, mad he felt authorized under his or
ders TO exercise judicious discretion with
reference TO the situation as he found il on
arriving there, might easily have arrested
the disturbances. l understand they have
all been Instructed to refrain from ali inter-
ference on shore except for the protection of
American life and property. That ties their
hands completely. They see the Germans
violating their treaty obligations, making
dren, defying their governments sacred
promises to us, but they cannot lift finger
! have no doubt that Capt. Day, of the Mo.
hican, who was there with me, felt warrant.
~ 70 lake certain action that urged itself
would have been over long ago, no blood
would have been shed, ami Samoa would be
at peace with Germany. If the humiliatine
acknowledgment Is to be forced upon us that
we have not single officer In all our navy
wnom the government can trust to go 800
miles beyond the reach of the telegraph an.
thorized to do all be considers necessary co
maintain our dignity, our rights and our
good latin according to the circumstances
existing when he reaches his destination nm
der the general inrtruction that the United
States will not submit to the violation of
Samoan autonomy nor to any settlement of
treaty relations not first submitted to our
government If we have no such officer. /
say, let us make haste to educate one! tits
aphysical impossibility to dictate q naval
ohcer's action at Samoa from Washington
Ii would take him three weeks to cable and
get reply, and In three weeks the whole
situation may be given away"
has not the Administration been advised
long ago that the crisis now on us was immi-
nent?"
1T is certainly true that the present situa-
tiDn is the necessary consequence of events
concerning which the Government had fun
Information at a time sufficiently long ago TO
have enabled 1t to avert the bloody battle of
November. must say frankly, as a citizen
that am not satisfied with the action of our
government, though the case could not have
been put better or more forcibly than Mr..
Bayard put It. nightly hope that the Re
publlcans will not make party question of
THIS International trouble, but that both
parties VIII act as patriots to serve our in
terests as a Nation, to strengthen the Presi-
dents hands, and to give him such advice
anu counsel as will enable him to act
to lose. and the stake is a great one To a neo.
pie who love their good name and their honor
anu VINO value their commercial advantages"
Colby University.