The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-01
IT Is TIME TO ACT.
The Senate Passes the
Samoan Amendments.
MARTIAL LAW IN THE ISLANDS.


the house yesterday. was read and re
ferred 10 the COMMITTEES on foreign re.
lAfions-
The house amendments 10 the biI
20 increase pensions ef those who lost
both hands were reported hack favor
ably and eoacnrred In
The senate resumed consideration
of the diplomatic and consular appro
priasion bill, the pending question be
ing on the amendment referring e
Samoa. Reagan offered an amend.
meat 10 insert ths words. land for
the protection ef the rights OF Ameri.
can citizens residing on said islands
and preserve the neutrality and inde-
psndence thereof. .
Hale objected 10 the last clause. The
senate should not declare an intention
10 preserve the neutrality or maintain
the independence of any nation. That
was executive
Sherman agreed with Hale. saying
enesi rather than strengthened the
statement OF the matter. II was
:. Fourth OF July" language. No
American had been hurt so far.
FRYE did not agree with Sherman
that no wrongs had been committed
IN Samoa against American citizens.
He thought the evidence very eonclu-
sive that wrengs had keen committed
against them. but that was not al
issue and he hoped the senator from
Texas would not insist upon his
now. liz did not comprise
what congress ought TO do. The re-
marks of the senator from Texas
came very much nearer 10 ii than the
report OF the committee. Ii was noi
Germany il was not Bismarck
ii was nothing but German trading
firm. That firm had absolute and
supreme power to-day over the Sa-
moan islands. and the German consul
received his orders from il. The Ger.
mans had, without any authority, and
with one OF the gravest insults ever
committed against the United States.
deliberately elevated to power and
made king rebel. Taraasese, who had
not q Samoan chief behind him. not
one. Tamasese was nothing but a
puppes in the hands of the German
trading firm. III he were permitted
10 be established, and were recognized
a king, one of his first acts, under in
structions Of the German trading firm,
would be 10 give the necessary notice
for abrogation OF the treaty with the
United States, and the harbor OF
Pango-P -Pango would be utterly lost TO
the United States. la his Judgment,
the amendments reported by the COM
missioner on foreign relations did not
bring up the real Samoan question.
The real question at issue between
the United states and Germany was
not necessarily before the senate for
discussion under these two items o.
nor in his judgment
was the senate ready to-day for dis
cussion. He expected to see the Gay
come. and ere long. when there would
be proposition before the senate that
would bring up full discussion of the
differences at issue between the United
States and Germany The testimony
of Consul-General Sewall was still a
secret document, and until il was
made public the real question could
not be properly discussed. There is
not fourth-rate power IN Europe
which, ii ii had been a party 10 a con-
ference with Germany as 10 the auto
nomy and independence of samoa,
and II Germany, pending that confer,
ence. without notice deliberately or
dered her ships OF war to violate that
and Independence. would
not have risked its life on a demand
for the immediate restoration OF the
status quo.
Reagan agreed with Frye's senti-
ments. lie was sorry 10 see a dIspo-
sition to shrink from meeting the
responsibilities of the government.
The consular agent OF the United
States at Samoa. the officers and crews
OF American ships there, could not fail
TO be humsliated BY the fact that their
government permitted Germany to
trample upon their rights and upon
the rights of Samoa, in the face of
treaty stipuiations and understand
ings. Instead OF trying to cover them
up, wisdom and prudence and the in
terests of the country required
the facts 10 be- met. III the
government of the United States
had assumed obligations to Samoa, il
should execute them. II il owed
duties 70 its citizens there ii should
perforn those duties. Ii the flag of
the nited States had been insnlted.
il the property of United States citi-
zeas in Samoa had been placed at the
mercy OF German traders through the
action uf the German government, the
fact ought 10 be recognized and one OF
two things ought To be done. Ii the
rights oil the United States were 70 be ah-
ruptly abandoned, the American con-
sui and commanders of American
ships ought to be called home, and not
Subjected 70 insailEand degradation
ana whatever rights the United States
had there ought TO be abandoned or
else the rights which helonged 10 thas
country ought to be asserted squarely
and manfuily
FRYE added some further remarks
as 80 the importance of the haTbor OF
Pango- pango 10 the commercial and
other interests of the United States or
the Pacific ocean, and then proceeded
70 read and comment upon an Asso
ciated Press iispaich just received
from Auckland. New Zealand The
dispatch and comments ran aieng il
this way;
%Aasfees frcsa samoa state that Ssermaa
officials have given notice that al vessels
arriving there viii Dc searched for articles
confrabaaa of war. 30 that the right o
search OF American vessels. If this Glsp&sch
is correct, is asserted bE Germany. ''They
have suppressed The sslas1s FtaSfs i
fhs. is true, then free spetsch il stopped in
Samaa. "a r,asstsr ger On British sipay755,
who visited Masasfa's camp was inane
Gsgteiy pgt under arrest. hGi
wAs subsequently, released in
eanapiiAncs with tie demand of fae Br1s
Esa cousal II he had esen an EreE5can
I suppose fs wuald not bare done for the
American caasal 30 aefnaad his release
a Aproeiamafsca has been issae3 pattsns
the Apsa police force under German con
tsxct MsaAs&s followers number saoe
TheY sre strongly iatreEehesi, and other
saFnoaBs ara rapidly salnlf4g s,8ea1- on
ARRIVAL fSf ths- ssEasssss hsehsaa16 she wss
bearded aad searched for guns 0i
coarse. Do zos kEow whether the st&se
meats ia this dlSpasca are true. bat II the :
are true. then fAzes STEPS are made BY TIE
Germans ir saazos- tsise ts we assertion
0s fae right aI search sE American vessels
xalrlg 1nTo the h2x5ors ef = aatsen wish
whiea ws Are III treaty relations. tae sec
and Il the suppression Of tsee speeee tae
other is AsSuEa1ng caut7ca OF the police q:
Apsa. EtS FaA8 tcsraltfy which ay the agree
Tncns bFsweea Germany. E8glarE. tbs
unitesz states AID the samoan king was
made GeafFzl ground
Reagan said IN g4ew oE The re-
marks 81 the senator from Maize
| Frvrf, who IS 4 nlssmter Of the cosn-
naitsee on foreign relations. fzaE 8.
wenId ts perhaps best 70 ies the
3nsent pass as reported. and II
ysew os the fsc& thar matters are very
rsxss5iv assuIainz such = shape thai
We shsss rsrabafagV have fhs Question