Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-02
SPECK OF WAR.
SENATOR sHERMAN MAKES a LONG
SPEECH IN THE q. o. SENATE.

is for IN American Government to
Assert Its Rights at the Bay Pagopago.
A History of the Diplomacy of the
Samoan Islands Situation-The Aggres-
sions of the m
WAsHINGToN, January 29.-The Senate
went into secret session this afternoon on
the Samoan amendments to the diplomatic
appropriation bill. After an hour spent in
secret session the doors were opened, and
Sherman proceeded to address the Senate
on the pendingNamendments.
He then gave q comprehensive review OF
the events in thesSamoan islands from the
time when the attention Of the United
States was first called to them, and the
various conferences, treaties, etc. He re-
ferred to the treaty of 1886 between Ger
many and Great Britain, by which a sort
Of delimitation was established for the
Jurisdiction of each government in the
Polynesian group, with a disclaimer that
this petition should apply to the Samoan
islands. That was the legal status OF TOD
day.
II jim dJ . " ~
on the islands down to the time when, by
| the aid of the ~consuls, it was !
SETTLED BY
| that Malietoa should be king and Tama-
sese vice king.
soon after that settlement other difficult
ties had arisen and a movement was madeto
annex the Samoan islands to New Zealand,
| Malietoa sending an humble appeal to
Queen Victoria asking for such annexation.
The German government, however, had re-
monstrated in the most vigorous manner
against it, ins sting that it would be a VIOLA
ton OF the treaty.
Finally Sherman brought the history of
events to the conference in Washington be-
tween Bayard and the British and German
ministers and to the sending by each OF
them OF agents to the islands to obtain
further information. He said it was mani
fest that the rebellion OF Tamasese had
been organized by the German consul and
by a German named Weber who was the
head Of a large commercial house. He
mentioned
THE ARRIVAL OF A HERMAN FLEET
at the islands some time in May, 1886, and
spoke of an insulting letter from the Vice
Admiral to Malietoa, in which he addressed
him, not as king, but as the head chief.
1t was after these insults to the King,
that United States Consul Greenbaum
raised the United States flag at the request
of Malietoa on the public buildings in Apia:
For then, he said, the practical effect OF
that action unauthorized as it was, had
been to check the action of the German
local authorities.
After the German fleet had sailed away,
the German and American consuls had
again Joined in a declaration that Ia
masese should never be recognized by either
OF them al King, and that Malietoa was
King. This act had been wholly without
authority, and G~reenbaum's part in it had
very properly been
DIsAvowED BY THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.
He had no more right to assert a pro-
~tectorate there than the German or Eng
fish consul had.
1t was whilst Bayard and the English
and German ministers were engaged i'll OBJ
tanning information that the German gov
ernmen5 had deposed Malietoa and set up
Tamasese.
These were the worst features OF the case,
because at the very time negotiations were
going Oh, on a sJund, just and honest basis,
for the restoration OF statue quo, there
were Indications. he thought, that the
English government a coinciding with
the German policy. He was not stating
this fact for the purpose of saying who was
wrong or who was right; or whether Ger
many VAS justified in the course which she
pursued. He could not say, however, that
he found in the papers any justification
for Germany. Prince Bismarck, whose
strong imperial will vas shown in all of his
communications, asserted the equal rights
of each OF these governments, but insisted,
as a matter OF policy, that it would be bet.
ter to place the custody OF the islands I'M
der control Of the powers; and, as Ger.
many had the largest property interests
there, that it would be best to place it I'M
der German control and power.
As to the newspaper correspondent
Klein, who had been playing knight er-
erent there, the government OF the United
States was in no way responsible for them.
The statement OF himself, although some
what vain-glorious in style, shows that he
had nothing to do with the attack on the
German sailors.
Summing up his long speech, Sherman
said that
THE FIRST THING TO BE DONE
was for the United States to assert it's
power in the occupancy and possession OF
the bay OF Pagopago. That ought to be
done Immediately. 1t did not need war to
protect a nations rights. The mere asser-
ton OF these rights, a due regard for them,
the expenditure OF money there, the stor-
ing of coal there, the calling OF vessels
there-all these things were assertions OF
power far more influential than that of
protocols and diplomatic correspondence.
G~eorge-The amendments do not menace
war, do they?
Sboru,an-T do NOT khiply ~ raoacco nm IN
menace any one: l believe a straightfor-
ward, manly negotiation should be entered
into between these great powers. 1t would
be a great shame aud disgrace to our civil
ization and Christianity if we could not
agree pom some mode of government for
those islands. Whatever the ]:ers
may say, there is nothing in the situation
that would justify, on the part OF either
nation, a menace Of war until every effort
is exhausted to bring about a quiet and
peaceable
SETTLEMENT OF THE CONTROVERSY.
First, we want to assert and maintain
our rights to the station at Pagopago, and
nobody will call that right in question.
Next, we ought to do what we promised
to do: employ our good Offices to settle the
| difficulties of these people.
Therefore, | am willing to vote any sum
OF money to enable the President to con-
duct negotiations to max surveys OF the
harbors. and to get better information in
| relation to those islands. | am willing to |
| vote the sum named in the amendment
| $500, 00O), and place it at the discretion
! OF Mr.. Cleveland. or Mr.. Harrison, and |
have no doubt the power thus given, 10
send agents there and to send ships there
will bring about a prompt solution OF this
small controversy.
BAYARD's' VIEW OF THE CASE.
WASHINGTON, January ga report was
current, this morning. that the President
would to-day send to Congress a commu-
~nication on the Samoan question. Inquiry
at the White House elicits the state
ment that the report concerning a message
is untrue.
In an interview published at Baltimore,
this morning, Secretary Bayard says that
Germany has given this country no casus
belli; that our flag has not been insulted or
4 poorinup prnnarfu oofrouad o,l H. IL