The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-30
A SMALL NATTER
Senator Sherman on the
Samoan Imbroglio.
THE rASeo-rASeo STATION
Bismarek-s csmrlains ef Anerieas
rnsrsendiiaess, and Secretary
Bayard's Reply.

and consular appropriation hill. tho
question being On Gsbson's amend
znent TO make the title os the minis
sers 10 France. Germany. Grea
Britain and Russia ambassadors.
Alter iang discussion Gibson
arnsssdment was agreed 10
The amendments n relation 20 So
nsoa having been rezehee. fhe senst.
went into executive session. wher
the doors were reopened. Sherman
( sid he would Ike TO state EsealAieay sh.s
position which he teok in the Samoan
gsrstson, 80 that i might appear II
!. the records he then gave a conp-e-
hensive review os events in the S@
moan islands from the time when tlss
as.0ti0a OF the United States va.
! first called 70 them. the sa-sosss con-
( ferencss, treaties. etc He referred "a
the treafy Of lsce between Germany
and Great Britain, by which 4 sors
( dsiisnifation wzs established Sor the
jurisdiction oE s4cA government IN
the PoiynesiAn group. with a dis
elaimer that this partition should ap-
ply 10 the Samoan asl2sdS That Was
the legal status ol Today
He spoke OF the contentious which
had always existed between the va
rious chiefs on the islands. down 10
the sinle when by the sid af the CON
sGis Il was settled by she agreement
that Maliesoa should be king and Tam
asese yice-king. Soon after that set
tiemSnf other difficulties had arisen
nj.
the Samoan islands To New Zealand
MAli@tos sending sri humble appeal 20
Qleel Victoria asking for such annex
atlon. The German eorsrnmenf.
however. had demonstrated in the
most vigorous manner against Il. IN
sissing that il would he ysosatioa OF
the treaty
Finaiiy Sherman brought the hiss
tory Of the events down 70 the confer
ence in Washington between
Bayard and the British and
German ministers. and 10 tbs.
sending hy each ef agents 20
the islands 10 obtain further informa-
ton. He said il was manifest that the
rebellion 0f Tarnasese had been organ
lied by the German consul. and by n
German named Weber. who was the
head Of large commercial house lie
mentioned the arrival of German
feet al the islands some time in Mar.
lsS6, and spoke of the insulting letter
from the vice-aamiral 10 Maliesoa. in
which he addressed him. not as king.
bat as head chief * was after these
insults To tie king that United States
Consul ssreenbaum raised the United
states flag, at the request OF Mafietoa,
on the public bGiidirigs in Apla. Fur
ther, be said. the practical effect OF
that action. unauthorized as il was.
had been 10 cheek the action of the
Gerngan local authorities. After the
Gernan feet had sailed away the Brit
ish and American consals had again
Joined in q declaration that TamaseSe
had never been recognized by either of
them as king. and that Malietoa was
king. This act bad been wholly with
out authority, and Greenehauln's part
IN i had very properly been discovered
bg the American government. He had
no more authority than the German or
English consul had
Ii was whist the agents of the three
conferees sBayaTd and the English ard
German mlnislersi were engaged in
obtaining information, that the Ger
MAJ government deposea Maliefca
and set up TamAsese. These we're the
worst features OF the case, because az
this very tine negotiations were going
on. on sound. Just and honest oasis,
for the restoration of the xfgssss gstc.
There were indications. he thought.
that the English government was coin
ciaing with the German policy. He
wSs noE stating the facts Tor the pur-
pose OF saying who was wrong or who
was right. or whether Germany was
justified in the course which she par
sass1. He could not say. however. that
he found in tbs papers any insginca-
ton for Germany. Prince bismarck.
whose strong imperial wlll was shown
in al OF his communications. asserted
the equal rights of each of these gov
ernruents, but insisted as a matter Of
policy that ID would be better 20 place
the custody of the islands under control
of the powers. and, as Germany had
the largest property interests there,
that il would be best 20 plate Il Under
German control and power. As to-
the newspaper correspondent Klein
who had been playing knlght-erranf
there. the government Of the United
States was in no way responsible for
hin1. The statement of The man him-
self. although somewhat vAingiorions
in style. shows he had nothing 70 do
with the attack on the German szi-
lers.
! Samfning up his long speech, sher-
man said that the first thing 10 he
done was fer the United states 10 as
sert its power. aud the occupancy and
possession Of the hay Of P4nvo- YA8go.
That ought 10 oe done Immediately.
liz did not need war 10 protect . ma
tiGn's rights. The mere assertion OF
these rights. due regard for thens, the
expenditure OF money there. the Ssor-
ing of coal there, the calling uf vessels
there, --aA these things were assertions
uf power far snore influential than pre-
sncuIs and diploma ats correspondence.
fseerge--Tgie amendments 10 not
menace war, do they
\ Sherman do not thsnk X nee4.s-
s2zy 70 naenace anyone. | iesseye
strAightforuard NANNY negotiations
shosaid be entered into between these
great powers. II wUssld ne great ats
grace to orr civilization ard Chris
issanity If we cousd nos agree nYs8n
i,oFse faosse OF goywYnusez.f For fassxe
islands Whatever the aeEspaEers
inay say, there i nothing IA she sAIsar
lsun that would sasgisy. On The part oi
s.Ifsaer nation. 4 rreagh gs tie peace
ltntis every esEaft j. exhausted 10 frlng
ssheat > quiet and peaeeahse seffseaaeFlf
az the controversy s1rsx We waat 10
assert and maintain 0sar right ~ a
station 4s pzngs- PaDgo. ard sscsgss5y
yrils cal iha rsght IA 4uaSsl0sl. Next
sEe Ought ~ do what We promise 20 do
egn3ssoy our good Offices 10 settle the
difficulties q these YeoF1e. Therefore
| zna willing 10 vote any sans oi n1oney
Fs enable ts1e president to sseFa4et ne
astizsians 10 Fs@Se sarTeys cz harkxyrs
aSd 70 e9s better sasagrl&slssFs
- relation 10 ffsose sssass8S ! aal
sfilssag Il vcse Fiae sam named III tks
ausez4Esens. Ss<slfssa. ard plzcs L ss
the discretion Of Sir. SSexesAtssa or As.
IEaYrsspn. ard Z have IS 3oaps the
Eoxer sh1s eiTen "a sesss @geats there
ara - sen1 ships there viii 6Fsfgg
sriag asouf 5 frofnrs soaetSea g this
snsAaa controversy.
senator I,1spA abtA1Ssasa Tie atsor
ass. sase senate Aks 9assTn&ef
81 eexssnxRxp II sEcgxx
TAe secret Legislative session Cd sle
sessate wzs xhollF osxuFsess lE ssascazsz-
s,w and vasing upeFs q aasscsss made
kv SeesnAn t. cosszs1eg The r&rao&n
ssx.szssi saents with epssi doors Il wns
-sspgarseSa u Sherman ksaxss sid