The Portland daily press., 1894-09-05

and the foreigners of Apia all excellent
local self government. 1t has settled
the vexed question of land claims equit-
ably and satisfactorily to all.
Most important to us our participation
in the land commission under the act
has secured to us confirmation of the
titles to land in Pago-Pago which other
wise, can affirm this authoritatively,
Great Britain and Germany would have
prevented
Ignoring all these benefits, Secretary
Gresham attacks the act by magnifying
pecuniary liabilities assumed by us in
it's maintenance. Figures will show
charged to it are Insignificant, amounting
Z to put a few thousand dollars for the
protection of interests for which Congress
did not deem $500, 900 too great
But is it upon the charge that the act
is = An entangling alliance regarding
matters remote from this hempishere, !"
that the attack is chiefly based and upon
which the changes are rung in all refer
ence to our relations with Samoa
This is a deceptive and dishonest
cry. This act is no departure from the
policy we have pursued in regions where
we have extra territorial Jurisdiction,
from the agreement under which Apia
was previously governed, or in which
we have participated In China and
+etdpdu. as IL d Q0kldEbtft lEOIu but
proprosal OF Mr.. Bayard, himself, at the
first conference. 1t is not an entangling
alliance" in the sense Washington used
the term, for 1t has no relation to the
politics of Europe, but with affairs in
which we have a natural and proper con-
Germ. Finally, the distinguished Secre-
tary of State must be corrected in his
geography. Samoa is not "remote from
this hemisphere, I" but within and part
of it. And it is therefore within that
declaration with which the names of
Adams and Monroe are ilnperishably
linked and which TO every other Secre.
tary OF State has meant so much, but
which to him apparently means SO
little. In the wars of European powers
we have never taken any part" with
the movements in this hemisphere we
are of necessity more Immediately con-
nected.n ~ We owe it therefore, to can
dor and to the amicable relations exist
ing between the United States and those
powers, to declare that we should con-
slider any attempt on their part to ex-
tend their system to any portion of this
hemisphere as dangerous to our peace
and safety.n
We are told in history that in order to
crafty the vanity of the Emperor Au-
gustus to make the month that bears
his name equal to that named for the
great Caesar the calendar itself was
changed.
! My friends can it be possible that we
have among us in the person of the
Secretary Of State a new Augustus who
by re-arranging the meridiaus on the
charts seeks to eliminate this immortal
declaration from our policy in the Pacific
and thus to crafty his own vanity by
detracting from thu fame of that distin-
guished citizen of Indiana and the
country which has so far and so long
-. L. L. L :.
willing to bargain away the principles
of a life time to gain the temporary
eminence from which he now seeks to
attack hi m by robbing his countrymen
of the benefits Benjamin Harrison se-
cured us?
But need not invoke that wise doc
trine the observance of which has done
SO much to raise the, prestige OF the
American name throughout the world.
/ need not argue the merits of the Berlin
Act. The question of our right and
duty to participate in Samoan affairs
to the extent at least of preserving the
neutrality of those islands is no longer
an open question.
We are already established in this
connection. =
We are bound by that peculiar relation
ship tow ards those people, first assumed
when Wilkes, over fifty years ago, framed
| laws for them and since consistently
maintained a sort of "moral suzerainty,n
as it has been called in Hawaii. We are
bound by advantages received as well as
by reciprocal response blities assumed,
by interest as well as by honor. We are
bound by our right to the magnificent
harbor there which we cannot permit to
be imperilled by the transfer of Samoan
sovereignty to unfriendly hands.
We are bound by our citizens estab-
lished there, who cannot be abandoned
to the discriminating laws of our COM
mercial rivals. We are bound by the
memory of the ships that were lost; OF
the lives that went out in death on the
reefs of Apia as gloriously as any ever
offered up in battle for their country.
Above all are we bound, repeat, by
what we owe to the Samoans themselves
for whose present condition we are chiefly
responsible.
And in this connection, assuming the
full response bility for what say, wish
to make a statement of personal expert
ence. l shall betray no condolences for
the facts have long since been in the
possession of the Senate, and are to be
found in public documents.
This statement will show how it is
that Samoa has figured SO largely in
my life and why, now and always. ii
will be with me
MATTER OF PERSONAL. HONOR
to plead her cause. 1t will show why
our connection with Samoa is to Mr..
Cleveland an irritating responsibility
which he ain would bring to an end.
and a sickening memory which he fain
would have forgotten.
Seven years ago first went to Samoa,
Mr.. Bayard's conference at Washington
was then about to assem- BILE, but Ger
many had arranged for action in the
event of her not securing there what she
wished. She was to take possession OF
the islands under the guise of recognize
ing a rebel king and government she had
! organized declaring war at the same
| time on the legitimate sovereign. ! had
| no sooner arrived in Samoa than I was
instructed by MIR. Bayard to keep the
Samoans from fighting, on the assurance
that the conference would arrange
| Samoan affairs for the best interest oil
the Saomans. l obeyed; went at once
| to the King whom / found at his camp
with his armed followers ready and
eager to proceed against those in REBEL
ion about him, and crush them as he
was able to do.
Tn the name of NV government de-