St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-06
BATES SIZES up BISMARCK
The Late Commissioner to Samoa Talks
Of the Governments Policy.
NO NEED OF A CONFERENCE.
What Is Wanted Is the Immediate
Restoration of the Status Quo
in Samoa.

Bates, of Delaware, late United States
commissioner at Samoa, Was to-day
asked by reporter, what, in his Opin-
ion, would be the probable effect upon
the policy of our government of Prince
Bismarck'S recent orders to the German
consul at Samoa, the commander of the
German fleet. He said: II do not see
why the more recent dispatches from
Germany should affect the attitude of
the United States. The proclamation
OF martial law and the assumption of
the direct administration of affairs in
Samoa by the German consul, which
are now reported to have been discOun-
tenanced by Prince Bismarck, were not
tine grayamen of the troubles there
which excited the attention of the
president and congress. These
harsh measures were determined
upon and reported long after the sub
ject had been referred to congress
with the recommendation of
action by that body. Those measures
did not arouse public Indignation in.
this country-they only aggravated it.
The interpoSiti0n of congress was in
voked by previous aggressions of the
local German officials and residents
there-the disregard of the understand
ing expressed and implied, upon which
all our negotiations with Germany have
proceeded, and the evident disposition
of that power
TO ABSORB THE GROUP
without further consultation with us.
With respect tothese matters there is
mr. fff
it be the proposition published this
morning for a conference at Berlin. In
my judgment the restoration of the
status quo ought to be condition prec-
dent to any further negotiations, and
involves among other things the reas-
sembling of the conference at Washing
ton. 1t seems to me that Prince Bis
marks proposal to remove the negO-
tiations to Berlin Involves both slight:
and compliment to oursecretarysofs
state-a slight because lie was our rep
resentative here and couldsbe presentas
such nowhere else; compliment be-
cause it would indicate that in the con-
ference, the proceedings of which are
as yet unpublished, he eXcelled in
diplomacy the German and English rep
resentatives combined. But even if
Germany'S disclaimer were broad
ter involved in the presidents COM
municatiOn to congress, past experience
warns us not to be too quick in relying
upon assurances from Berlin as indicat-
ing the course of events in Samoa.
When the German flag was raised there
contemporaneously with Tamasese's re-
belliOn, the act was SOlemnly diSa-
vowed by Bismarck as soon as reported,
and yet the flag continued to fly I'M
til our flag was raised by Consul.
Greenebaum, months afterwards. The
successive violation by the German
local officials liz Samoa of assurances
made to this government indicate either
gross INSTRUMENTATION. which is entirely
contrary to all our notions of German
discipline, Or else some understanding
exists by which the consul there is au-
thoriZed to act
ON HIS OWN RESPONSIBILITY
according to his views of the necessities
of the case, and to exceed his instruc-
tons as reported here" what do you
many against SamOa?' 'Its prosecution
seems to me utterly inconsistent with
the restoration of the former status. If
Germany goes on with her war in Samoa
it will be useless to have conference
at all. OF course Germany can ulti-
mately drive the Same MS into the sea-
and take the islands by conquest. This
would be no less destruction of Samoan
autonomy than # it were done by grad
ual encrOachmentS. If we confer, we
should insist on an absolute halt: if we
consent to less than this, we may as we'll
wash our hands of the whole business
and abandon all idea of preserving the
neutrality of those islands" "Your re-
port on Samoa has frequently been
alluded to of late. Is it true that por-
ton OF it was suppressed in the copy
furnished congress? 1t has been
stated that this was because you were
instructed to report facts, not opinions"
suppressed because it stated opinions
not facts, will be better answered when
it is published, if that is done here
after. have not stated, nor can [ do
SO, what it contains, and no one in
the state department. would be like
ly to authorize any such state
ment, in view of my instructions
and the facts of the case / was directed
to report upon the political condition of
the islands and the remedies which L
and the other commissioners proposed.
This did, supporting my conclusions
with the reasons which seemed to me
pertinent. The suggestion that ! fur
nished to any one statement of opin-
ions embodied in the unpublished por-
ton of my report is without any founda-
ton. do not know Senator Frye and
l do not think | have ever seen him.
The senator obtained what is termed
the confidential copy from the secretary
of state himself, as he distinctly states
in his speech upOu the subject"
Smith Will Go Up Higher.
ToOnoN Fob Al hourb tbo D;rbE