Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-02
MALIETOA'S LAND.
OF THE ALLEGED WAR
OYER SAMOAN MATTERS.

A German Military Attache Making an
Investigation Into American Army
and Navy Fortifcations-A Lively
Debate in Congress over the Question
of our Duty as q Government in
Reference TO Samoa.
WAsHNGToN. January 31.-The POST
tomorrow will print the following private
cablegram, received at Washington, last
night:
It is announced that the German govern
ment has ordered military attache, Lieut..
Eckardstein, to report here at once to the
German minister. His business, it is an
nounced, is to investigate and report to
the val department everything Of interest
concernina American army and navy forti.
tications, equipment, etc. 9-fsasz'
AN INTERVIEW WITH BAYARD.
WASHINGTON, January 31.-Secretary
Bayard was this morning shown the DIS
patch from Auckland, stating that Ger
many had given notice that vessels arriy-
ing at Samoa would be searched for con-
traband goods. He said the department
to-day received q dispatch from Consul
Blackjack stating that war had been de.
clared against Mataafao. and that martial
law had been permitted by the German
consul at Apia. He did not know whether
the martial law referred to-, included all
Samoa or only Apia.
Reference was made to the criticism oi
the Department of State, and the Secretary
said: II would like the gentlemen who
have been criticising everything done by
the State Department to show enc instance
in which / have broken q law or permitted
it to be violated. I do not know such in.
stance. There has been great deal oi
Misrepresentation and in time my country
men will see that the State Department
has done everything that could be done. I
have yet to learn that any American has
been injured or any OF their rights, as de-
fined by the law and treaty, taken away.
Our
''PoLIeY has BEEN FIXED
and steady in the direction OF the preserva.
ton of American rights. The German
Government has constantly given assur-
ance that Germany would not violate
American rights. The department says the
secretary cannot stop fighting in Samoa.
We cannot prevent rival commercial com-
panies from quarreling and fighting. 1t is
not for US to try and give every country a
stable government"
moan affairs said, tonight, that matters
had reached serious state, and he would
not be surprised to hear that conflict
had taken place between the Americans
and Germans. The natives have beaten
the Germans repeatedly, and according to
the Auckland dispatch, Germany is dis
posed to whip them by preventing arms
being sent in. Newspapers read by Amer
leans have been suppressed, and Germans
openly control the police OF Apia. Ameri-
can residents contributed to the fund for
the support OF municipal police, and was
bad enough to have them under the direc-
tion OF Tamasese, but under the German
control was infinitely worse. He said it
might appear an unusual and bold thing
for us to say we would protect the inde-
pendence of q country far away, but our
national honor and our obligations re-
quired we should come to it.
THE SENATE DEBATES THE QUESTION.
WASHINGTON, January 31.-In the Senate
the Presidents message in relation to Sa-
moa and Corea, presented in the House,
yesterday, was read and referred to the
committee on foreign relations.
The House amendments to the bill to in
crease the pensions OF those who lost both
hands, were reported back favorably and
in.
The Senate resumed consideration of the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill, the pending question being on an
referring to Samo. Reagan Of
fered an amendment to insert the words,
land for the protection OF the rights OF
American citizens residing on said islands,
and to preserve the neutrality and inde-
pendence of Samoa"
Hale objected to the last clause. The
Senate should not declare an intention to
preserve neutrality or maintain the inde-
pendence of any nation; that was for the
executive.
Sherman agreed with Hale, saying that
The words proposed to be inserted weak
ened, rather than strengthened the state.
nent OF the matter. 1t was Fourth OF
July" language;
After long and exciting debate, in which
Senators Frye and Reagan took strong
ground in favor OF protecting the independ-
snce of Samoa and securing harbor there
for American ships, and in which it was
intimated by them, and by Hale, that the
debate would come up again in another
and more serious form lperhaps in voting
on the relations OF the United States and
Reagan's proposed modifica-
tion was withdrawn, and the amendments
as reported from the cmomittee ON foreign
relations agreed to
MORE GERMAN AGGRESSION AND INSULTS.
AUCKLAND, January 31.-Advices from
Samoa state that the German officials
have given notice that all vessels arriving
there will be searched for articles contra
band of war. They have suppressed the
"Samoan Times"
A passenger on the British steamer
Walnut, who visited Matafase'e camp,
was placed under arrest, but was subse-
quently released in compliance with the
demand of the British consul.
A proclamation has been issued placing
the Apia police force under German con-
troll.
Matafases followers number six thou
sand. They are strongly intrenched, and
other Samoans are rapidly joining them.
Upon the arrival of the steamer Rich
mond she was boarded and searched by
the Germans.
GRAVE WRONGS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED.
Frye did not agree with Sherman that no
wrongs had been committed in Samoa
against the American citizens. He thought
evidence was very conclusive that wrongs
had been committed on them. But that
was not at issue, and hehoped thesenators
from Texas would not insist on his amend
ment now. Remarks OF the senator from
Texas came very much nearer to the truth
than the report of the committee. 1t was
not Germany; it was not Bismarck: it was
nothing but q German trading firm. That
firm had absolute and supreme power to-
day over the Samoan islands, and the
German consul received his orders from it.
The Germans had, without any authority
and with one of the
GRAvEsT INSULTS EVER COMMITTED
against the United States, deliberately ele-
waited to power. and made king, rebel.
Tamasese, and who had not a Samoan