Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-01
Fiftieth Congress-Second Session

| SENATE-The House amendments to tn bill to increase the pension of those wh { have lost both hands were reported bacl favorabiy and concurred in. MT. Chandle offered resolution (which was agreed to calling on the Secretary of the Treasury fo information as to the proceeds paid into tn treasury under the captured and abandoned act. A resolution to print for the use O the Senate 5000 copies of the tariff bill a passed, in pamphlet form, was reported anG agreed to.
 After the passage of few private bills
 the Senate resumed consideration of tho Di
 plomatio aud Consular appropriation bill the
 pending question being on the amendment
 referring to Samoa.
 Mir Reagan offered the amendment which
 he had indicated yesterday-to insert the
 words land for the protection of the rights
 of American citizens residing in said islands
 and to preserve the neutrality and indepen
 dence thereof"
 Mr. Hale said he would not object to the
 first clause of the proposed amendment, but
 he was not willing to go farther than that.
 He was not willing for the Senate to declare
 affirmatiyely that it would preserve the neu-
 trality or maintain the independence of any
 people. The matter might be safely left to
 the executive.
 MT. Sherman agreed with the views ex-
 pressed by MT. Hale. Why talk, he said,
 about protection to American citizens. What act of cruelty had been done in Samoa to any
 American citizen. No American citizen had been killed there. Why use Fourth of Julyslanguage" in bill defining the pur- pose and objects of the President in enforc- ing and maintaining treaty obligations.
 MT. Frye did not agree with MT. Sherman that no wrongs had been committed in Samoa against American citizens. He thought the evidence very conclusive that wrongs had been committed on them. But that was not at issue and he hoped that the senator from Texas would not insist on his amendment now The two amendments did not comprise all that Congress ought to do. It was not Germany, it was not Bismarck; it was noth- ing but 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. He doubted whether Germany had any understanding of what had really been going on at those islands for the last two or three years. The King of Samoa was friendly to the United States and nine of the chiefs out of ten were friendly, and the enmity of the German trading firm against the king and the chiefs arose entirely from the fact that they were friends of the United States. The Germans had without authority and with one of the gravest insults ever committed against the United States de- liberately elevated to power and made king 8 rebel, Tamasese, who had not a Samoan chief behind him, not one. Temasese was nothing but puppet in the hands of the German trading firm. If he were permitted to be es- tablished and were recognized as king one of his first acts, under the instructions of the German trading firm, would be to give the necessary notice for the abrogation of the treaty with the United States and the harbor of Pago- -Pago would be utterly lost to the United States.
 Mir. Salisbury remarked that if the United States did not recognize Tamasese as king it would not recognize any notice from him of a termination of the treaty.
 Mr. Sherman took the ground that the United States had vested right in the har- bor of Pago-Pago, of which it could not be divested by an abrogation of the treaty.
 MT. Frye disagreed f1om the view of MT. Sherman. If the ten years provided for in the treaty had run out without the United States having availed itself of it's rights un- der the treaty it was entirely clear to him that the moment notice was given of a ter imitation of the treaty the rights of the Unit ed States ceased. In his judgment the amendments reported by the committee on foreign relations did not bring up the real Samoan question. The real question at issue to day between the United States and the empire of Germany was not neces~ sarily before the Senate for discussion under these two items of appropriation. In his judgment the Senate was not ready to- day for the discussion. He expected to see ere long proposition before the Senate that would bring up the whole question of the differences at issue between the United States and Germany. Then he should be very happy, indeed, to enter into the discussion.
 Mr. Stewart-Will the senator state what he thinks ought to be done in the matter?
 Mr. Frye-There is not g fourth rate pow CT in Europe which, if it had been party to a conference with Germany as to the au- tonomy and independence of Samoa, and if
 &INaA@ ', out notice, had deliberately ordered her ships of war to violate that autonomy and indepen- dence, would not have risked it's life on the demand for an immediate restor- ation of status quo. A European power could not be found that would Hot have done it. I am not saying what, in my opinion, ought to be done now. I prefer that the on foreign relations should report to the Senate in due form and after delibera- tion what ought to be done. MT. Frye pro ceeded to comment upon the Associated Press despatch just received from Auckland, N s., in relation to the declaration of war. I do not know if the necessary statements are true, but if so, the assertions made by the Germans in Samoa. One is the right of search of American vessels going into the harbors of nation with which we are in treaty relations. The second is the suppress sion of free speech. The other is assuming the control of the police of Apia, munich pality, which, by the agreement between Germany, England, the United States and the Samoa King, was made neutral ground.
 Mr. Hale agreed with his colleague that the time had not come to discuss fully this important subject, and that it had better be left to future time when the Senate could more deliberately consider the grave i'm portance of the subject. In the meantime he was willing to leave with the administra- ton the disposition of the amount appropri- ated in the amendments and the conduct of all proceedings as to the relations between this country and the Samoan Islands. What sver rights we have MT. Hale continued, should be firmly protected and insisted upon and not given up. After some further re- marks by MT. Hale the amendments were agreed to without division.
 The amendment raising to am mbassadors the ministers to England, France, Germany and Russia were rejected, yeas %, nays 26, and he bill was passed.
 The Senate then, at D. m., on motion of MT. Riddleberger proceeded with closed loors to executive business, presumably the British extradition treaty. When the doors were reopened the Senate at 6:15 p. m. ad- burned.
 HoUsE-After transacting some routine business to-day the Oklahoma bill was taken
 MT. Yoder of Ohio, moved to reconsider he vote by which the House yesterday agreed to the Payson ''soldiers homestead amend ment." Agreed to. yeas 155, nays 117.
 The question recurring on the amendment, Mr. Kerr, of Iowa, made the point of order that the proposition was dividable. The speaker sustained the point and the question was put upon the first clause of the amend ment as follows: "It is expressly provided that the rights of honerably discharged Union soldiers and sailors in the late civil war to make homes on the public lands un- der the existing homestead laws shall not in any degree be impaired by the passage of this bill." It was agreed to.
 The question then reourred on the second clause which provides that the right of such honorably discharged Union soldiers and sailors to make homestead entry and perfect he same by occupancy under the e1- isting homestead law shall extend to any and all lands which shall be opened to any settle ment by the provisions of this bill.
 Mr. Payson, in support of the amendment, said that what he was clamoring for was the right of an honorably discharged soldier to make homestead settlement as free gift from the government in recognition of his services. It was not @ question of dollars