Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-30
SAMOAN TALK IN WASHINGTON.
The Interest 1t is i xcitiug- Views Of vari
ous Public Men ON the Snbject.

0AMOAN 1AAh IN ~
The Interest 1t Is 4 xcitiug Views Of vari-
ous Public Men ON the Subject.
WASHINGTON, January 25-Ths dis
patches from Berlin and London in regard
to the attitude OF Germany on the Samoan
question, are the subj ct Of general dis
cussion ip ti,is city. A rpprs sentative Of
the Associ ted Press was accord d. a brief
interview with Secretary Bayarl last even
ing. He SAIL he had read the iii patches in
question, but raid it would not be proper
for him to discuss their subject matter at
this time. He said that. although Germany
may have larger interests in Samoa than
the United States, it had 70 better or
later information from hat country than
the United States.
In regard to the stttementt that Germany
would violate no treaty in acquiring as
cendancy in Samoa, Ba: ard called atten-
ton to the declaration concerning the
boundaries of German and English domin-
ions in the west Pacific Ocean, .igned at
Berlin April 6, 1867 by Count Bismarck
on the part OF Germany and Sir Richard
Mallett on the part OF Great Britain.
Baysrd eaid he thought this agreement
precluded German acquisitions in Samoa,
and that she was bound to respect the
rights of that island.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY RIyEs.
read the dispatches carefully, this after
noon, and remarked, with a smile, that
"they seem to be hurting defiance in our
teeth, don't they?" When asked if he had
no further comment to make on the sub
ject he said he had not. He subsequently
intimated, however, that there were ;mpor.
ttant differences in the statements by the
I. North German Gazette" and the Presi.
dents message to Congress OF the 18th 10.
slant in regard to the treaty rights oil
Germany, Great Britain aud the United
States in the Samoan matter. He de.
clined to point out the discrepancies, but
repeated that the position OF the govern.
ment on the question as stated by the
Gazette" differed from
OUR POSITION A. sDEFINED BY THE PREsI.
DENT.
Rives would say no more, but it is under
stood that he referred particularly to that
passage in the message where the President
says: "Acting within the restraints which
our constitution and laws have placed up
on the executive power, | have insisted
that the autonomy and Independence oil
Samoa should be sc~rupulously preserved
according to the treaties made with Samoa
by the powers named, Germany, Great
Britain and the United States, and Their
agreements and understanding with each
other. / have protested against every act
apparently tending in the opposite direc'
ton, and during the existence OF the inter
nal disturbance, one OF more vessels Of
wal have been kept in Samoan waters to
protect American citizens and property"
WHITNEY
declined to be inter Wed. The policy Of the
government, he said, was fixed, and any
thing which might be said in regard to il
must com from the state department.
The navy department. had n o Jurisdiction
over matters except OF an executive char
acter.
SENATOR EDMUNDs,
| when made acquainted with the tenor o.
the u~tterances OF the Berlin Gazette
said: II suppose if Bismarck was to ex
press his opinion upon any subject, he feels
| at perfect liberty to do SO: but l also sup
pose that the expressi IN Of such opinion
| will not serve to deter the American people
from carrying out any policy they may
adopt as desirable or necessary. The Sa'
moan Islands are or the highway OF com.
roo,oo ao,1so fho pooika orI ma af rroo4
Importance with relation to the develop,
ment OF trade via the projected canals
acre ss the Isthmus OF Panama, and across
Nicaragua. To a power whose ships are sent
on long cruises, the establishment OF coal
ing stations ia u necessity, and the location
OF one on the central island Of the Samoan
group, as. provided for in the proposed
amendment to the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill, as reported by the
commi tee on foreign relations, is looked
upon as one of great Importance to us.
VIEWS OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE
Such members Of the House COMMITTEES
on foreign affairs as could be seen tonight
were adverse to discussing freely the pres
emit state of our relations with Samoa.
In view OF the fact that the subject is o
DCLOIO VIZ OOhluhloVSOt OuCJ OAPCOoCu W
make known their views to the House in
the shape of a report.
Representative Russell OF Massachusetts,
when told OF the position taken by the
North German Gazette" remarked that
if matters should reach an extreme point,
II don't believe we are going to be eaten
up by any European power"
MIR. HIT, A LEADING REPUBLICAN.
and a member OF the committee, was in
clined to take a peaceful view Of the
situation. 1t was evident, he thought,
that, while cautiously written, the article
breathed q hostile spirit, melted no doubt
by the exaggerated accounts which had
reached Berlin of the feeling in America.
The fact is. said Hit, we are
suffering for a lack OF informa-
ton. The President, to use his term
RELOCATED" the entire subject to Congress,
but. unfortunately, failed to transmit a
copy of the agreement between the repre-
sentatives of the United States, England
and Germany. Just what that agreement
is, or how it binds the United States, No.
body in Congress knows, but it must be a
very bad agreement under which the pres.
emit state of affairs iu Samoa has resulted.
So long as the country knows that the wise
men OF both political parties in the Senate
have been fully advised and arr taken into
the Presidents confidence, people may
rest in ease. But they are not disposed to
trust too much to the ability of one man,
particularly one who has been SO la.
mentally unlucky in the use of his judg-
ment.
Touching the possibility of serious
trouble resulting from the Samoan affair,
he was disposed to make light OF it. He
had confidence in the strong common sense
OF the leaders on both sides OF the sea.
After all, matters OF such slight impor-
tance could not reasonably be expected to
bring about a war between the United
States and d nation which has for us the