The Indianapolis journal., 1894-05-10
DOESN'T WANT SAMOA
Cleveland's Administration Weary
of the Tripartite Agreement. .
Correspondence Submitted to the Senate
in Which Gresham Reviews Our Re-
latiOns with the Islands.

WASHINGTON. May 9-The President
to-day submitted to the Senate the corre-
spondence relative to Samoa called for by
Senator Quays resolution of the 9th ult.
The correspondence is very voluminous.
covering about ten thousand pages. In
submitting 1t to the President Secretary
Gresham had taken the opportunity to set
out at length hts conclusions as to the
workings of the trfpartite agreement. This
letter of the Secretary's is certain to give
rise to much discussion and controversy.
AS period of almost five years has elapsed
since the conclusion OF the general act Of
Berlin. the present occasion is, the Secre-
tary says. not inappropriate for a review
Of it's results. In order that the subject
may be fully comprehended he presents a
general survey of our relation to Samoa.
both before and since the conclusion of
the general act, and recites the policy we
have pursued toward the island 1t is
in our relations TO Samoa that we have
made the first departure from our tradl-
tional ana well-established policy of avoid
ing entangling alliances with foreign pow
ers in relation to objects remote from this
hemisphere. Like all other human transac-
tiOns. the wisdom of that departure must
be tested by its fruits. If there be evil
dence of detriment suffered before its adop-
tlon, or of advantage since gained. we are
confronted with the serious responsibility
OF having, without sufficient grounds. inn
periled policy which is not only coevil
with our country, but TO which may In great
measure be ascribed the peace, prosperity
and the moral influence Of the United
States
In 1873 special agent named Steinberger
sent TO the islands by the Depart
ment Of State for the purpose of obtaining
Information In regard to their condition.
This step seems to have been suggested by
certain "highly respectable commercial per-
Increasing our commercial relations in that
quarter OF the globe, and by the circurn,
ooer of the N United safes acting on his
own responsibility, had entered into an
agreement with the great chief of the bay
protesting his desire for the friendship and
Profession of the United States, granted to
this government the exclusive privilege Of
establishing in that harbcr naval station;
In May 1872, President Grant communicated
this agreement to the Senate, saying that
he would not hesitate to recommend It's ap-
proval but for the protection to which it
seemed to pledge the United States 1t does
not appear that the Senate took any action
on the agreement. Secretary Gresham con-
tnues with account of Steinberger's con-
nection with Samoa and his efforts to bring
about the annexation of the islands to the
United States, his unauthorized promise TO
the islanders of the protection of the United
States and his final deportation from the
islands British man-of-war. The Stein
erger-Godfrey agreement Is also recounted.
On Jan. is, 1878, there was concluded at
Washington the treaty which up to the
ratification OF the general act of Berlin,
twelve years later, contained the ONLY for
NAL definition of the relations OF the United
States TO the Samoan group. The impress
sion produced by discriminating examna-
ton of these treaty stipulationS is that they
were inspired rather by amiable desire
on the part of our government not to ap-
pear to be wholly insensible TO the friendly
advances of the Samoans, than by any sup
position that the character of our relations
to Samoa greatly concerned us. The way,
noweVer was Inen open fbst 70 TORN o Mltn
might seem to require The occasion to
make good the obligation of the United
States under the treaty OF 1873 to employ
it's good offices in behalf of the Samoan gov
eminent arose in 1885, when DR.. Steubel,
the German consul-general took possession
OF all the land within the municipality of
Apia, far s the Samoan governments
sovereign rights TO ii were concerned, TO
hold il as security till an understanding
with that government should be arrived at
for the protection OF German interests. AS
counter demonstration the American con-
sui. Greenbaum, raised the American flag
aud proclaimed a protectorate. Subsequent
ly our ministers at London and Berlin were
instructed to say that the claim of an
American protectorate over Samoa By the
United States consul at Apia was wholly
unauthorized and disapproved. no protec-
and to - suggest that the British and Ger
man ministers at Washington be instructed
to confer with the Secretary of State with
a view TO the establishment of order.
The Secretary details at some length the
events connected with the tripartite protec-
orate in Samoa, the establishment of a new
form Of government, the election Of Malie-
toa as king, the reluctance of the natives
to accept new regime, the resort to coercive
measures, the breaking out Of war In July,
1888. the intervention OF the treaty powers,
ard the deportation OF Mataafa and eleven
other chiefs. Then followed the appoint
ment OF Henry c. Ide as Chief Justice and
the more recent troubles IN Samoa The
Secretary concludes as follows:
''Soberly surveying the history Of our re-
lationS with Samoa, we we'll may inquire
what we have gained by our departure
from established policy, beyond the ex-
penses, the responsibilities and the entangle-
ments that have 50 far been its only fruits.
one Of the greatest difficulties in dealing
with matters that lie at a distance is the
fact that the imagination Is no longer re-
strained by the contemplation of objects I'm
their real proportions. Our experience in
the case of Samoa serves 10 show that for
our usual exemption from the consequences
OF their infirmity we are indebted 10 the
wise policy that had previously preserved
us from such enga genients those
bodlsi in the general act OF Berlin. which,
besides involving US In an entansling alli-
ance. has utterly failed TO correct. IL, in
deed, IL has not aggravated the very evils
II was designed to prevent"