The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-10
Americans In the Pacific.

There is a report from Jaluit that Com.
missioner SCHMIDT has decided to stop the
trips of the famous American missionary
brig Morning Star to the Marshall Islands.
| which the Germans recently annexed. on
the ground that these visits tend to preju-
dice the natives against German rule.
The report might be incredible. were 1t
not that similar charges we're brought by
the Spanish authorities OF the Caroline ISL
ands against our American missionaries
Indeed. the Spaniards carried of the
Rev. Mr.. DoANE. from Ponape to Manila
for trial on some accusation. There
he was released and sent back. and a
claim for damages against Spain for his
arrest and detention is still pending. AZ
terward. when the natives OF Ponape rose
against Spanish rule. and intrenched them
selves at Qua. close to the missionary build
ings. whose occupants had escaped. a Span
ish vessel shelled these buildings. and q
landing party burned them. For this loss
another claim is pending against Spain. As
the Spanish authorities at Ponape insisted
that the missionaries were at the bottom OF
the discomfort of the people. and iDterfered
with their labors, the missionaries withdrew
for a time from the island. the American
war ship Alliance conveying them and
some OF their pupils to another station.
With this precedent to guide us. and the
we'll known OF some Of the Ger
man colonial officers In the Pacific. as Illus
tratcd in Samoa. it seems possible that
Commissioner SCHMIDT has taken som
such course in the Marshall Islands as the
report from Jaluit attributes to him.
Rut the American miSsiopo riea mucf ha
fully protected in their rights. They are
not to be treated as i%nterlopers. either
in the Carolines or the Marshalls. They
have been at work there fully forty
years, whereas the German and Spanish
official occupancy of the two groups as
colonies is OF comparatively recent occur
renee. Our Government did not set I'D q
claim Of it's own when Spain and Germany
disputed the ownership OF the Carollnes:
and when the Pope. as arbiter. awarded
the Carolines to the former, while Germany
was left free to seize the Marshalls. as she
did about two years ago, our Government
confined itself to looking after the rights
OF its residents in the islands.
But American moderation in this matter
must not be imposed upon by any viola
ton of those rights and interests at the
hands either OF Germany or Spain. We're
no other consideration involved. the fact
that American missionaries have carried
civilization to Polynesia. being foremost in
giving to the natives such education and
general Improvement as they now en-
joy. should protect them from abuse
by the agents of European powers. Above
all. it should shield them from any attempt
to restrict their benevolent efforts or to
prevent their visits to the churches and
schools they have established.
Their disinterested labors for the good Of
the natives have undoubtedly aroused In
the latter the warmest gratitude. and this
is perhaps the basis Of the charge OF undue
influence brought by the Spaniards and
Germans. Witnessing for more than a gen-
Grafton this unselnsh devotion to their
good. without any attempt to annex them
to the United States. or to destroy their
own forms OF government. the natives are
naturally under the influence of their Amer
lean benefactors. Nor can they fail to con-
| trast the method and spirit Of their Ameri-
can friends with those OF the new rulers
from Germany or Spain. who have come
among them for the purpose OF governing
them and are taxing them to support the
local authority h u established. II this 10