The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-01-16
Report From the Secretary
of State.
THE SAMOAN DISTURBANCES
What Are the Prospects for Little
spat with Germany?-Is Uncle
Sam Waking Up?

It appears the confreres on the land
grant railway forfeiture bill, who, q
few days ago were closely approaching
an agreement, are drifting apart. At a
meeting the House confIeres showed
disposition to return to their original
position, and, IS result, subsequent
conferences between them and certain
of their fellow members interested in
the conference, have been of little avail
1t is learned they have been strength
ened in their position to insist upon the
adoption of the bill in this line as
based by the House.
TRANSPORTATION OF CHINESE.
Petitions have been made to the
Treasury Department by Transports
ton companies for the recreation OF
regulations prohibiting transportation
of Chinese iaborers across the ter
ritory of tho United States, and argu-
ments had been submitted to show
there is nothing to show in either the
restriction act of May, 1882, or the ex-
clusIon act of 1888 to authorize such
prohibitions.
IMPORTANT ITEMS.
The most important items in the ma
val appropriation bill, which carries
500 OG0 900, are those providing for the
construction of dynamite cruisers to
cost $450,000, on the pattern of the
Vesuvius and $50 ton cruiser monitors,
~ nm 10 Mo of Orin
ais by Representative Thomas, of IL
linois. Nc. -,
MESSAGE RELATING TO SAMOA.
The President to-day transmitted to
both houses of Congress report from
the Secret y of State with the latter
correspondence since December 21st
1888, exhibiting the progress of dis
turbances in Samoa up to recent date.
The message of the President says the
information thus laid before Congress
is of much importance, since it has
relation so the preservation of Ameri-
can interests and the protection of
American citizens and their property
in that distant locality, and under the
unstable and unsatisfactory govern
ment in the midst of the disturbances
which have arisen at Samoa, such
powers has been exercised as seemed
te be within the control Of the execu-
tive under the laws and constitution
and which appear to accord with our
national policy and condition. An at
tempt has been made.
TO RESTORE TRANQUILITY
and to secure the safety of our citizens
through negotiations and agreement
with Great Britain and Germany,
which with our government, consti-
tutes the treaty powers interested in
Samoan quiet and peace. An attempt
has been made to more clearly define
which of said powers shall assume the
government of that country. AT the
same tims its atonomy has been insist
ed upon. These negotiations were
at one time interrupted by such action
on the part of the German government
as appeared to be inconsistent with
their further continue. Germany. how
ever, still asserts, as from the first, that
she has no desire to overturn the ma
ture of the Samoan government, nor to
ignore one of the treaty rights, and she
still invites our government to join her
in restoring peace and quiet, but thus
far her propositions on the subject
seem to lead to such prep0nderance of
the
GERMAN POWER IN SAMOA
as was never contemplated by the
United States and as is consistent with
prior agreement or understanding,
while her recent conduct as between the
native-warring factions gives reason to
the suspicion that she is not content
with neutral position. Acting under
the restraint which our Constitution
and laws have placed On the executive
power, we have insisted that the atom
omy and independence OF Samoa should
be scrupulously preserved according to
the treaty with the powers assumed,
and other agreements and understand
ings with each other. The recent COLI
sion between the forces OF a German
man of-war stationed at Samoa and a
body of natives rendered the situation
30 delicate and critical that the war
ship Trenton, under the immediate
command of Admiral Kimberly, was
ordered to join the Nepsic, already at
Samoa, for the better
PROTECTION OF THE PERSONS
and property of our citizens and in the
furtherance of the efforts to restore or
der and safety. The attention of Con-
gress is especially called to the instruc-
lions given to Admiral Kimberly, dated
on the 18th inst, and letter of the
Secretary of State to the German min
lister, dated the 7th inst, which will be
found with the papers herewith sub
United. By means of the papers and
documents heretofore submitted, and
those accompanying the communica-
tons, the state of affairs in Samoa are
laid before Congress and such execu-
tive action as should be taken is fully
exhibited. The views of the executive
in respect to the Just policy to
be pursued with regard to this
group of islands, which lie in the direct
highway OF growing and important
communication between Australia and
the United States, have found express
sion in the correspondence, and the