Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-04-28
THE SAMOAN NATTER.
The COnferees Begin Their
Work at Berlin.
BISMARCK Is CONCILIATORY
The Conference Will, in all PrOba-
bllity, End in General
Handshaking.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
BERLIN, April 27.-The delegates to
the Berlin Conference are delighted with
the reception accorded them by Bis
marck. The Chancellor was especially
cordial to Bates, who explained that his
article on Samoa in the Century"
Magazine was written long before he was
nominated delegate to the Conference,
and that, after his nomination, he tried
to withdraw the article, but in vain, as
thousands of copies had been printed.
Bismarck showed perfect familiarity
with the Samoan question. He ex-
pressed the hope that the Conference
would be q success, and referred to the
diplomatic and parliamentary experience
of Kasson and Phelps. The first sitting
was held at 2:50 P. M, to-day, at the
Foreign Office.
BERLIN, April 27.-The members of
the Commission to consider the ques-
tions concerning Samoa have seen Bis.
marck and Count Herbert Bismarck.
The former briefly expressed his conf
dence that the conference would be har-
monious. The Foreign Office appears to
UO dbeuI6u VI 6u cafiy VI buO
negotiations. The Commission, how
ever, expects that the sittings will be
protracted for several months, especially
if the charges against Klein, involving
claims against the War Department and
the Government are brought up. Bis.
marck certainly intends to place
the evidence of Brandeis and
Knappe and others before the
Conference, but he has abandoned
the claims for indemnity arising from
Klein's action. This concession ought
to shorten the proceedings. The claim
against The Samoans for plundering Ger
man traders and planters will be main
tanned. There is reason to suppose that
England supports the principle of the
German demands, and it is trusted that
the American delegates are empowered
to admit it. The amount of the indem-
nifty is not likely to give rice to any dis
agreement, being merely question as to
the accuracy of the claims presented.
The Foreign Offices method of
levying presents difficulties from
the nature of the communications
between Herbert Bismarck and the Ham
burg firms interested in Samoa, and iti
surmised that the indemnity will take
the form of extended land concessions,
supervised by land court composed of
representatives from Samoa, Germany,
England and the United States. Bay
ards scheme OF Government, which in
cludes Royal Council and Legislature,
composed of two Houses, in which the
three Powers will be resented. will
not be entertained, Bismarck adbering to
the principle of non-intervention with the
local Government.
The official papers rather affect an in
difference toward the Conference.
The Cologne Gazette briefly concludes
that favorable result is already assured.
A strongly phrased article in the Mag
deburg Gazette, the National Liberal pa
per, is in marked contrast with the re-
served tone of the general press. This
paper declares that German honor re-
quires the punishment of the assailants
of December 18th, and it demands pro-
lection for the planters by permanent
settlement of the whole Samoan group
on the lines followed by England in
Egypt. In it's expansive chauvinism ar
ticIe, it misrepresents both officials.
1t is understood that Bates explained
to Herbert Bismarck that, since the pub
lication of the official dispatches in the
White Book, which showed the attitude
of the German Government, his article
in the Century Magazine" which he
had written as private and uninformed
person, had lost all point. He said that
he had the utmost esteem for Germany,
to which country America owed much.
Nothing was further from his thoughts
than to wound either the German Nation
or the German Government. Bates said
that he desired that this statement be
published, and he trusted it would re-
move entirely any ill-feeling toward
him