Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-21

The Samoan 6ituAt3QL Iro1Zatho 0ox1nn1
Point - v1ew.ts 4
BERLIN, Feb. 16<-Jn the HQichstag yes
terday . white book In freference to the
Samoan matter was introduced 1t CONF
prises fos ty-four documents. extending
from December 8. 1883, to February 8 aSsa
Among the documents relating TO recent
events is the report of the German Consul
at Apia, dated February "a 1883 which
describes the endeavors of Americans ana
Englishmen to provoke conflict
A dispatch dated September . 100
deals with the revolt OF Mataafa and the
spport given him by Captain iLeary,
q. 3. n. %5lza 80 kfza - tta@
After an account of the attack upon the
Germans ON December IS comes letter
from Count Herbert Bismarck. dated JAM
suary 1, to the German Minister at Wash-
ington and London. directing them to in.
form Secretary Bayard and Lord Sails
bury respecting the attack and ordering
the Minister at Washington to complain to
the United States Government that the
American, Klein, was prominent In the
fighting. The Minister is further INSTRUCT
ed to declare that Germany adhered to
her treaties and would respect the rights
founded thereon and would appeal to both
Governments to cooperate actively with
Germany and re- establish tranquility.
January 8, Count Herbert Bismarck tele-
graphed to the German Consul at Apia
that, on account of an agreement with the
United States and Great Britain, the an
nexation of Samoa by Germany was out
of the question. ss.,. = .s5.ess4-.s
A dispatch sent to the German embassies
at London and Washington January ID
stated. that the object of the military
measures against Mataafa and his par
tisans was to punish the murderers of Ger
man soldiers and to secure to German sub.
jects the possession of their property.
A document dated February 2. which
was sent by Count Herbert Bismarck to
Admiral Won der Voltz. chief OF the Ger
man Admiralty, says: Germany is not at
war with Samoa, as the term is under
stood by international law, but she regards
| Tamasese as the rightful ruler and Mataafa
as a rebel, against whom and his followers
retaliation must be enforced. Anyone
standing by them is a promoter of the con-
Hict between them and the Germans and
must take the consequences" He con-
cludes by declaring that nothing is
changed In the legal position Of foreign
| subjects in Samoa
The white book ends with q long report
| from the German Consul at Apia. 1t is
dated January and has thirteen append
| ices, dealing with events from December
IA, 1888. These record that, December 10,
Mataafa in a humble letter sought to open
| negotiations with the Consul, but would
| were given that his life would be spared.
In a subsequent letter Mataafa promised
to surrender in the presence of the British
| aud American Consuls but the German
| Consul declined to entertain the. offer.
| November "a Prince Bismarck sent a
| telegram saying that if the vindication of
Tamasese was impossible the utmost adj
vances should be made to reconcile him
with Mataafa-
December DR.. Knapp reported that
| the American commander at Apia was
| stirring the natives against the Germans.
| December II Mr.. Blaiock complained
| that drunken sailors from the German
man -of-war Olga had committed outrages
in Apia, entering houses and wounding
men and women. DIR. Knapp reported
later that foreigners had spread a rumor
that the Germans had been forbidden to
| interfere. This rumor had the effect OF
encouraging the natives, who stoned Ger
man sailors and destroyed German prop
| critics. ,..fe...
In January, 1889, Prince Bismarck noti-
fed DR.. Knapp that reprisals were neces-
| sary, but only such as were consonant with
the treaties of England and America The
Chancellor said: because Mahaafa as
saulted Tamasese we shall interfere only
by succoring Tamasese." Prince Bismarck
charged DR.. Knapp to entreat the other
/ foreign co,suls to combine in order to res.
| tore peace. ,r-}'E ns+