Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-27
THE SAMOAN SETTLEMENT.
An English View of American Diplomac
at Berlin.

From the London Times
The international understanding at which the
conference has at last arrived has not been
reached without considerable difficulty, as
might, indeed, have been anticipated from the
previous history Of the question. The main
stress of the controversy has been borne by
Germany and the United States, the two powers
whose respective interests in Samoa came most
directly into conflict. England has been con-
tent to occupy the position of ''bonest broker"
ready to acquiesce in almost any settlement
which contented the two principal disputants
1t rested mainly with the United States
to dispute and withstand the claims advanced
by Germany to exercise effective control and
sovereignty over the Samoan group. The
United States took the lead in disputing the
claims formally advanced by Germany. The
main object Of the conference was to establish
a modus vivendi less favorable to the German
claims than that advanced by Germany at the
conference held at Washington two years ago,
and thus, as the interest of England were less
directly concerned than those of the United
States, while they pointed in the same direction,
it became easy for the English delegates to
leave the burden OF the negotiation in the
hands of their American colleagues.
The details of the settlement now arrived at
will not be officially divulged until the conven-
ton has been submitted to the American
Senate. But it is understood that the confer
ence has resulted in a withdraw. or. at least a
material modification, Of the more extreme
claims OF Germany, and q settlement of the
principal points at issue in the sense desired by
the government of the United States. What
Germany demanded two years ago at Washing
ton was q virtual mandate to control the affairs
OF Samoa for a period Of five years. This de-
mand was strennously resisted by the American
government, and the whole question remained
unsettled until the present conference assem-
bled at Berlin at the beginning Of last month.
The demand of Germany to be intrusted with
the virtual sovereignty of Samoa has now been
abandoned.
At first sight the net result of the conference
seems to be that Germany has yielded on every
material point to the demands OF the United
States. When the convention itself is published,
however, it will probably be found that the
question has really been settled on a reasonable
basis of give and take. 1t has been clear enough
from the beginning Of the conference that the
original claims of Germany were not likely to
be recognized in their entirety. For long
time German influence was paramount in Samoa,
and where German influence is paramount il is
aptto be somewhat Indifferent to the interests OF
other powers. But ever since the government
Of the United States began to take
q direct interest in the question. and to mani
fest its determination not to allow American
interest to be ignored, 1t has been plain that
Germany would find it expedient to abate some
thing of her former pretensions. In any case
we cannot but congratulate Prince Bismarck
and the German government on the copcilia-
tory spirit they have shown in the settlement
of this troublesome question. It cannot be de-
MED that the action Of Germany in Samoa has
on many occasions been high-handed, impoli-
tic, and inconsistent alike with treaty obliga-
tions and the interests Of other powers. II il,
perhaps, - we'll, therefore, that in this partic-
ular case Prince Bismarck should have been
made 10 realize that, where the interests of the
United States are concerned, the American
government b very little affected by
many Of those considerations which nee
essarily restrain the sction of those
European governments with which
he 10 more accustomed TO deal. Il n easy to
see that there might have been many reasons
why il would be inexpedient for England,
whose interests In the whole matter ere little
more than secondary and subordinate, to fol-
low the line Of policy in regard to German &C.
ton in Samoa which Il was natural and neces-
sary for the Government Of the United States
70 pursue. II b mot Lees plain that sven Ger
many would be compelled to think twice or
thrice before provoking coIlision With Amer
ica over such . question - that Of Samoa, and
We cannot but rejoice. therefore, that the IN
huence Of the United States has been 20 mod
sratsly and Jet % efeetuaaly exsrtsd.