The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11
THE CAROLINE WAR.
Caused by the Jealous Zeal OF
the Missionaries.
AMERICAN WORKERS SUFFER.
Blaine VIII Demand From Spain Rep
arafion for Indignities offered to
Citizens or the United States.

WAsHrysros CIrY, Jan. l0.-Secretary
Blaine has taken up with the Spanish
minister the matter Of the alleged indig-
mites offered the American missionaries
on the island of Ponape. Chaplain Iay-
lor, of the United States steamer Alliance,
recently returned from the Caroline
islands, in his official reports confirms N
all important details the treatment alleged
10 have been imposed upon the mission
aries Secretary Blaine viii see that the
treaty stipuiations between Spain and the
United States IN regard TO these islands
are observed IN the future, and that re-
paration is made for the violation OF the
treaty. if after investigation II 5 shown to
have been violated.
LoxDog. Jan. 10-An English officer
who has been visiting the Caroline islands
gives interesting facts in regard 70 the re-
cent CONFLICTS between the natives and the
Spanish military forces of that loeaiity-
de declares that the whole trouble may De
charged 10 the American missionaries IN
the Islands, who for various reasons are
hostile 10 the Spausards- There Is Erst, ne
says, natural jealousy between the Span
ISL Catholics and the Protestant American
missions. but this plays onlya subordinate
part n the difficulty. The Spanish mis-
sIOnaries conAne themselves 20 religious
work and do not NEEDLE with the tenn
poral affairs OF the people There = q
crowd OF hangsrS-on. he says, around the
American missionaries, whose sole OBJECT
seems 70 be TO prey upon the natives. How
Tar the missionaries themselves are r.
sponsi5le for the doi2gs OF these persons
ne Il not prepared 10 say. but allegations
are freely made on the islands that some
OF the missionaries pay more attention 70
their own aggrandizement than TO the vel
fare OF the people among whom
n Ia
ing IN the cause OF religion
Many missionaries have laid M q gocdly
stock Of treasures which moth and rust
may corrupt, and have introduced busl-
ness systems with the gliIeless natives
under Ihe operations OF which the lands
Of the people are rapidly passing into the
hands Of foreigners This has aroused
considerable discomfort among the natives
on several portions of the islands, and IS
10 3 large degree responsible for the out
break. The natives do not stop TO dis
crimiDate too nicely between natioaallties.
DeIieSe fn2r the Spanish invaders are
alone 10 blame for the changed condition
OF their affairs; hence the attacks upon
SpanIards ard other foreigners together.
The officer further alleges that the
American missionaries knew beforehand
that the massacre of last July would &C.
cur. They were cognirant Of il the day
proper authorities, with whom they were
on Dad terms, and whom they did not oh
lect 70 seeing taken unawares- TIE mis-
sionaries took good care, however, 10 pro-
tect themselves DY removals or harricades.
The governor Of Manila. capital OF the
PHILIPPINE islands, cables that he does not
believe the news published IN connection
with the troubles in the Caroline islands.
There IS a Spanish man-of-war perma-
nently stationed st the Caroline islands,
and he would have heard from her COM
mander If the trouble were so serious as
now reported.
NEW York, Jan. f0.-FolloEing close
upon the news of the massacre in the Car
oline islands, comes . demand OF the
American board Of commissioners OF for
eign missions for PREPARATION for oufrages
committed on Americans BIZ Spaniards at
Ponape. After obtaining full reports OF the
indignities suffered By the missionaries the
board has laid the matter before Secretary
Blaine. For eight months Americans have
been subjected 10 ali sorts of abuse. Their
church, schools and dwellings at zap have
been burned by Spanish shells. and moth
ing has been said about indemnity. They
have been forbidden TO continue church
and school work OF any sort Efforts have
been made TO extort from native prisoners
evidence to be used against them. Two OF
the missionaries. Miss. Fletcher and Miss
Palmer, were refused permission to leave
the island September -, when an oppcr-
tunity was offered. and finally Span
ism Notifications have been erected
on the land belonging TO the
American board and within 3 few feet Of
the mission buildings. Commander Tav-
lor arrived with the Alliance on October
Is, and after inoniring thoroughly into the
situation took the missionaries "a Nuskaie.
800 miles distant. for safety, they, how
ever not waving any rights or claim by
their withdrawal
The root OF the whole trouble is the mis-
take OF me Spania-ds in supposing that
the missionaries melted or conniyed at the
revolt Of the natives. That they did not
do this IS abunGansly shown by their own
testimony, and also by Commander Tay-
lor's investigation. in whose report tie
stories of hardship are told When three
years ago the Spanish government under
took to extend its sphere of inauence TO
the Caroline Islands, q convention was
entered into between Madrid and Wash
ington City, stipulating that American
missionaries should be unnolested as long
rs they quietly attended TO their duties
Despite this stipulation, Mr. Rand and his
co-worke-s have been treated as guilty of
fomenfing an insurrection, but have been
given no opportunity 10 prove their inno-
ceace.