New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-24
A DECISIVE STEP TAKEN.
THE SENATE MOVES IN THE SAMOAN
MATTER
uwo IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS TO THE D1rno-
MAT1c AND CONSULAR BILL-moNEr 10
sn VOTED TO SECURE AMERICAN
RIGHTS AT THE ISLANDS

RIGHTS AT THE ISLANDS.
rsr rgrxaRAPH TIfE rRIBuNR.l
Washington Jan. 23.-Once more hepuDn
can Senate has been obliged to take the initiative
IN foreign policy which shall mean little
more than Mr. Bayurd's empty words and windy
pbrases. While Democratic House Committee
an Foreign Affairs is still struggling to secure the
attendance Of its members SO as TO dispose OF the
Panama Canal resolution, which reached it more
than two weeks ago. the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations has promptly gone to work
and taken the necessary steps to enable the Ad-
ministration to uphold the dignity Of the flag
in Samoa and protect the interests OF American
citizens At the meeting of the committee this
morning the Samoan dficulty was fully dis
cussed, and as a result of the discussion 1T was
decided to recommend the following amendment
to the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill:
For the execution of the obligations and the pro-
lection Of tse interests OF the Qnted stses nh ing
Government of the Samoan Islands 100000, or So
much thereof as may be necessary to be expended
under the direction of the President this appropriation
to be Immediately available -,
For the survey, Improvement and occupation OF the
hay and hsrbor of Pag0pago In the island OF Tufua
samoa, and for the construction of the necessary
coating a4s o the do
President, 800 600, this. appropriation to DO I'M
mediately available.
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS DuMFoUNDEp.
Inc IntcnB anu mSsfDlnB tOl lllS dHcuulhchV "
quire no comment. When il. was reported by Mr.
Sherman in the open Senate to-day, the Senators
on the Democratic side of the chamber looked
dumfounded. 1t had probably never occurred to
them that anything was expected from either
house of Congress in this matter, and they GER
tainly had no thought of doing anything without
receiving a hint from the White House. This
they had, Of course not received, and though they
were aware OF the fact that Secretary Bayard had
attempted in public utteranoes as well as III OF
fetal communications, TO shift the responsibility
for the conduct OF Samoan affairs from his own
shoulders to those Of the Senate, while privately
he was bemoaniag his fate and meeting the critl-
cisms of his administration of the State Depart
ment by declaring that the President had taken
the management of our diplomatic relations COM
petely out of his hands, yet they were fully salts
fed, apparently, TO let matters drift in happy
go-lucky fashion, sitting idly by and wondering
what would come of it all. The amendment pro-
posed by MIR. Sherman has been rude awakening
to them.
The course of the Republicans in the Senate
IS Significant in more ways than one. They OBJ
viously did not consider the risk involved in
entrusting the expenditure of over half million
dollars to Democratic President at his own dis
cretion. Their patriotic impulse preferred 30 run
the risk rather than cast doubt upon the PreSi-
in striking contrast with the course pursued
by the Democrats in the XLYIIIth Congress, when
Secretary of State Frelinghuysen appealed in vain
for an appropriation of paltry s25O,O90 to
enable him, it hinted al the time, TO secure
extraordinary advantages In Nicaragua in con-
ncction with the construction OF Che transIgthmian
canal
He was not in position at the time to disclose
the object of the expenditure the precise manner
in which III was to be applied to more than half
dozen Senators and as many members Of the
House in strict confidence. They were salts
fed however OF the advisability of appropriating
this sum of money, and upon their mere statement
that it desirable thing to do, the Republican
Senate voted the amount The Democratic House
refused TO follow such course They insisted
upon being told what Mr.. Frelinghuysen wanted
the money for. The Secretary OF State
could not and would not do this,
and so the appropriation failed.
II that money had been voted, the passage of
the Edmunds Panama resolution might not have
been necessary; and a canal under American
auspices might now be well under way To
Judge from their present performances the Demo
Gratis mistrust their own Administration as much
as they did that OF their Republican predecessors
AMERICAN RIGHTS IN SAMOA.
The harbor Of Pagopago, mentioned in the Sher-
man amendment TO the Diplomatic and Consular
Appropriation bill, and the right to establish q
coaling station within its limits were acquired
by the United States in the early part of 1873,
under the second article of the treaty negotiated
by Secretary of State Evarts and M X Lehiamee
the Samoan Envoy Extraordinary sent to this
country for that special purpose. The second art-
Gle reads as follows:
Naval vessels Of the United States shall have the
privilege entering and using the of PaROpagO
and establishing therein and the shores thereof
naval and commercial marine, and the Samoan Gov
eminent viii hereafter neither exercise authorize
rights Of the United states or restrictive thereof
The same vessels shall also have the privilege Of
Gems Of the United States shall likewise have free
liberty TO enter the same ports with their ships and
any of the Inhabitants Of those Islands, whether
natives or foreigners or to barter them for the
articles OF barter shall be Free except that
,hs trade r FIR sesPs S,s and q munitions Of war The
crnment
That the privileges conferred under this arti-
Gle OF the treaty were never made use Of is due
70 the shortsiehtedncss Of Congress rather than
the lack Of appreciation on the part Of success
sive Administrations Of the value and Importance
Of the CONCESSIONS The establishment Of coal
ing station in the Pacific was repeatedly urged
upon Congress by Republican Secretaries of the
Navy.
Noisy reformers Of shc Holman stripe however,
always opposed it. while at the same time they
grew eloquent over tire necessity Of improving |
creeks and bayous in their home districts.
Article of the same treaty contains thu pro- |
visions under which the United States bound |
itself to intercede in behalf OF Samoa if that |
country. as is now the case. should ever get into
difficulties with foreign Power. It's language |
IS plain and cannot be miSund prgf0od II a |
as follows
II unhappily, any differences should have arisen, or
snah hereafter orse between the Samoan Government
sna any other Government IN amlty with the United
statcs, The Government OF the latter viii employ its
goa omces for the purpose Of adjusting these differ
onces upon satisfactory and solid foundation.
inere continues 10 be expressed on all sides |
great indignation at Secretary Bayard's secret