The Portland daily press., 1889-01-25
sAYARD QUOTES THE TREATIES.
A Barrier Raised Against the
S~hacoae o< re...rv

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24-The dispatches
from Berlin and London in regard to the at
titude OF Germany on the Samoan question
were the subject Of general discussion this
evening. Secretary Bayard said he had read
the dispatches, but did not know who wrote
the article in the North German Gazette, nor
what authority the writer had. They might
prove to be mere newspaper gossip. AL
though Germany may have larger interests
in Samoa than the United States, it had no
better or later information from that coun-
try than the United States In regard to the
statement that Germany would violate no
treaty in acquiring ascendency in Samoa,
Secretary Bayard called attention TO the dec
larati0n concerning the boundaries of Ger
man and English dOminions in the West Pa
cifc ocean,. signed at Berlin, April 6, 1886.
by Count Bismarck. on the part of Germany,
and Sir Edward Mallett, on the part OF
Great Britain. Mr.. Bayard said he
thought the agreement precluded German
acquisitions in Samoa and that she was
bound to respect the rights of that island.
This declaration, after defining the bounda-
ries OF tie respective possessions of the two
countries In the West Poetic ocean provides
that neither will make any acquisitions of
other territory nor establish any protector
ates over any other territory in the West
Pacific. The last section of the declaration
expressly provides that Navigators Samoa
Island with which Germany, Great Britain
and the United States have concluded
treaties and the Friendly (T0ngaJ Islands and
Mini (Savage) Islands shall in future, as
heretofore, form a neutral territory.
Senator Edmunds when made acquainted
with the tenor of the utterances of the Ber-
lin Gazette, said: 81 suppose If Bismarck
ject he feels at perfect liberty to do so, but /
also suppose that the expression of such an
opinion will not deter the American people
from carrying out any policy that they may
adopt as desirable or necessary. The Samo-
an Islands are on the highway of com nerce
across the Pacific and are Of great import
ance with relation to the development of
trade via the projected canals across the
Isthmus of Panama and Nicaragua. To the
powers whose ships are sent on long cruises,
the establismenBof coaling stations Is nee
essity and a location of one on the central
island of the Samoan group as provided for
In the proposed amendment to the diplomat
ic and consular appropriation bill, reported by
the committee on foreign relations, is looked
upon as one of great Importance to US"
Representa- Russell of Massachusetts,
when told of the position taken by the North
German Gazette remarked: IF matters
should reach an extreme point don't be-
lieve we are going to be eaten up by any
European power,
Senator Frye said: II think our treaty
rights are such in Samoa that we cannot per-
init the independence of Samoa to be taken
away. If Germany can put a governor who
is nothing but tool of her own into power
in Samoa, they can compel them at once to
give notice to the United States to terminate
all our treaties and after that notice, they
would be terminated in year. l think the
treaties on the whole, taken together. do
guarantee the Independence of Samoa. /
think Bismarck, in all his dispatches, has In
dicated this as his idea. / think the idea Of
war is as!absurd as it possibly can be-"