New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-25
THE SAMOAN TREATY.

Berlin touching the respective rights OF
! the United States, Germany and Eng
land in the Samoan Islands. They
write as if it were desirable to destroy
treaty simply because it was negotiated under
Republican Administration. They show no
purpose to examine the facts, but rather to
conceal the truth from the public We shall
endeayor to enlighten them as to the true sit
uation in which President ClevelandS Admin
stration had left us as to our rights III Samoa
and at the same time to show the substantial
and valuable gain that has been made under
President Harrison
| Under the Administration of President Hayes,
| in 1878 we had gained a foothold in the Sa-
moan Islands by valuable ccSSlon of the har-
Dor of Pago-Pago for shelter and colllng
station for our naval and merchant vessels.
subsequently the Germans, who had gained
foothold, rapidly pushed their interests until
they practically assumed the government OF
the islands and of all the inhabitants thereof.
| 4 considerable proportion of the inhabitants
| were citizens of the United States. who kecnly
| felt the oppression and humiliation OF German
rule. Had the Government Of the United states
stood still there would beyond doubt, have
been German auocracy firmly established in
those islands American citizens who had
gone there on various lawful enterprises would
have been entirely subject to German rule. and
we should have lost our hold on the valuable
harbor of Pago-Pago, or have rcgaincd II after
far greater struggle than it required to bring
about the Treaty of Berlin.
President Clevclands Administration no
doubt fully comprchcndcd the difficulty and
appreciated the secondary position into which
the Americans had been rclcgated in tho Sa-
moan Islands. An effort was made to check
and to change this tendency, and a conference
of the three Powers was called 10 meet IN
Washington in July 1887. in order 10 bring
about better understanding. Il proved
dismal failure. Nothing was accomplished.
The leading feature Of the conference was IA"
dictatora tone of the German delegate and
the obvious secOnding OF German prct"r SiOns
by the British delegate. AS soon as the con
ference had adjourned the Germans assumed
still more offensive power in samoa They de
throncd the native King, who whatever may
he said stood really and effectively a the
representative of the rights of the native Sa-
means. But Germany brushed him aside a, if
he were a common offender arrested in the
streets lor MISCONDUCT. ih'H Vo"N HI" l"'"
thousand miles away and held him rs a com
mon prisoner in a German font on the Marshall
T-Iond cor,,o,, .,,Li,c,c ,,oeo.,od ,bap,sol,.o.
of large share Of Samoan lands. and German
naval officers governed the islands in as rough
shod manner aS German dragons OVERRIDE
Schleswig- llolStcn in 1866 or Al>ace Lorraine
in 1870. They subjected citizens Of the United
States TO police inspection daily. They re-
CURED reports from each American house ~ ~
the arms they kept They turned the natural
riobt of American citiznrs to Loar arms int, q
,.o,o ,.i..;I.,,. ,....-1 -. H.. li....o.;.,. ~
liO'0 Pi''"' ,r
German naval olHccIN' ne "'Iin'" ponce Ie-
ported the conversations OF American citizens,
and if deemed offensive they were subjected 20
s,,,nr,or,. ,,,ocoodi,,,. b., Crr,,r co,,,,. ,,.,,
| ual. All these thlh@N TOOK pace uhfrH'Nrd
and unrcbukcd. while Mr.. Cleveland was still
President Of the United States.
When President Harrison assumed mower q
. ~ r,o ,.otIo1 o., pol; .L,
- -,
uiIu'I Viic Ih>""'''""N VI '''I''"'! MANN '''
American commissioners requested the follow
inc conditions IN he agreed 70.
1ir, r,ot tho rroc po,,ors r,nresertcd IN s.,,,.
,,ai.s 80 ia rc.,octvo rr,nlors ~ rc citi,,.,.
lfoct. - each shoud have absolute coual,ty Lcf,r
nc law and in All matter. Of administration
sccond-rhat as the deposed king, Naietoa, had
been ~ronriuly ana Violently depo1rd by the Ger
i,a,'. no s"ou'r ~ p'"''-''' '''" '' "'' '"'
Thrd-rlat for the sake Of Justice to the native
samoans there should be a land commission, In which
the whole question Of the land titles In samoa should
be subjected 10 riga examination, Nv "t''h hone,t
sanoa ,,'' l~a,o,,.ly nratcr,~G
| Fourtl-That the government Of the port aud town
u Apia, mainly inhabited by foreigners. shOud De al
min,tefen by olnai representation o. tr ''e r'"er5
i 's ,, -, o'a - ,,,
MANDATORY - ~ had been the case nor 10 An English
Judge as was proposed, but to a neutral Of character
and learning who should be taken from sweden or
s~i]cIino 1y ''g o,,' consent VI ,lr '"'e r'"'''
sirth-rhat tI,rr. should hr nn franc IN firearms