Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-02-21
MIR. BAYAsD,s RECORD.
A High Tribute from u Republican
Newspaper--'sEhi Ehis sCountrymcn Hi
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The Philadelphia Eoening Telegraph
(hepublioan) pays the following hand
come tribute to Secretary Bayard's ad-
ministration of the state department, and
particularly to his management OF the
Samoan affair:
Our estimable contemporary the New
York Tribune, which to conspicuous
degree represents the average political
organ which can never by any possibility
perceive anything wrong In the conduct
OF its party, nor in the character OF its
party leaders, and, vice versa, nothing
good In the measures or oharao-
ters OF the party OF the opposition
has told what II evidently thought a
| pleasing and brilliant story OF two men
who had engaged in diplomatic game
OF wits. These two men, were, OF course,
Mr.. Bayard and Prince Bismarck. The
ntory ends with the former being rolled
in the dust, q defeated, demoralizsd CON
testant, and with the other walking or
strutttng tfiumphantly away, victor of
the fight. This original and striking mar
rative was meant TO illustrate the quarrel
between the United States and Germany
in relation to the Samoan affair. or
course it is printed as true story, as the
Buccinct and veracious history of the CON
tention between the two nations.
History, from Its strange Inaccuracies,
would seem to be pretty often written In
that most inveraoious fashion. The story
of the Samoan quarrel ia not hidden
nor an obscure one. II has been lately
officially told to the whole country
through the presentation Of the entire
correspondence relating to 1t to Con-
gress. II is not difficult to understand,
being about as clear TO the average intel
lect as the proposition Of two and two
making four. Promising that which
everybody knows, that Germany, Eng
land and the United States entered into
an agreement to maintain the neutrality
or independence Of the Samoan govern
ment, and that subsequently Germany,
In disregard OF her agreement, sought to
secure control OF the government of the
group Of Islands In the South Pacific
by banishing or abduoting the reigning
king and setting mp In his place plant
creature Of her own, was for this breach
brought to book by the American Secre-
tary of State. He and Prince Bismarck,
the latter inspired thereto by the knowl-
edge that England, because OF her com
plioations in Egypt end Africa, could no,
seriously interfere with his plans in re.
gard to Samoa, did engage In diplo-
matio quarrel, just as the Tribune,
story declares; but it does not appear
from the German chancellor's own show
Ing, that 1t was Mr.. Bayard who was de
feated and made to bite the dust, bui
that 1t was Germsny's representative who
suffered defeat and crawled OF in &
thoroughly demoYalized state.
Il will be remembered that the Samoan
conference of 1887, held at Washington
was brought to an abrupt and impoteni
conclusion by the German representativ,
refusing to concede any material poinI
demanded by the representative of thil
, country. The British representativ,
aoquiesoed in yii1 pO-i,ion Of his o5rmar
J, colleague, and the affair thea came to ar
4 iuglorious end, chiefly because of th,
! conduct Of the English agent, Who re
fused to maintain the tripartite agree
msnt. From that time on Germany car.
ried matters with high hand, virtually
assuming domination Of the Islands. Bis
!. msrck's latest act Of aggression was pre-
a cipitated by his agent, the German con
, sui at Samoa, who demsuded that
Mataafa should surrender to him the ad
ministration of the group. To thi
Secretary Bayard instructed Mr.. Pendle
ton, the American minister OF Berlin, Il
! enter the protest of this government
His language was full of dignity and wa
! as direct and explicit as the circumstance
! of the case demanded. With what re
i suit this was done all the world knows
Prince Bismarck made full and uncop
A ditionAl surrender. The demand Of tn
| Matuafu Prinn
. Bismarck notified Mr.. Bsyard, was with
4 drawn, for the reason that it was ''not ii
I, conformity to our previous promise re
OF Samoa" and the latest dispatohe
!, probably be recalled.
: Tho admission by Prince Bismarck Il
2 Secretary Bayard was q concession o
: everything that Mr.. Bayard contende'
for, and 1t is not the German chancellor
. but the American secretary, who is tn
victor, and who can, IL he sees fit, wal
3 of triumphant, or strut on az, IL Il
. alleged by the Tribune, Bismarck ha
done. The American Secretary OF Stat
has been held up to the contempt OF bl
!. oouptrymen throughout bis entire ed
. ministration by the Republican organ
: OF the Tribune sort, and not because hi!
administration has bsen contemplate o.
= without honor, but because such mi-rap
e resentstion was thought necessary to dis
!. credit President Olevaland's administra
:, tion in the opinion OF the country. Mr.
= Bayards administration OF the state De
= partment is to be judged not less by tn
good attempted than by the good accom-
plished HIS fisheries treaty, his Ohiness
| 4 a..
were all excellent measures-tco good
indeed, to suit the wishes OF the raoidil
Q partisan majority of the senate. accord
y ingly, the Senate defeated them, but thei
o defeat was dissreditabie only to tn
t- Senate, aud not TO the state department
= In regard to the Samoan affair; ths resul
. proves that Mr., Bsyard's conduct OF tn
o o,ss. while oonciliatnFy, was firm, digni
1t fied and effective. What Mr. Bsysrd dl,
10 not do, but what it was insisted by nj
N partisan critics that he should do, was t.
l. bluster and plav the lingo with Germany
Ia He avoided the swash buckler style 0
's procedure, but ne crowned his enort
with success.
Q II ia time now that the oountrymen o
o Mr.. Bayard should do full Justice to hin
/ He has long been recognized as an homes
= able statesman, pure pstriot, ana
II citizen OF large public spirit. There ha
: been nothing in his administration whic
has not been honorable to, him or oredi'
y able to his country. In less than
10 month MIR. Baysrd will retire to priyat
n life, having sacrificed to his country, o
5. TO his political principles, everythin
y that be had gained through long years Q
d honorable endeavor. No senator OF th
4. United States who has sat In the Senai
d since the war has baen more respsote
fos both his ability and integrity than MI
Bayard. His countrymen are his debtori