The Portland daily press., 1894-09-05
NATIONAL SHAME.
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
was dreamed of before, we who have
solved the great question of the expan-
sion of the State itself, not by possess
ions held for our own selfishness and
gain, ought not, say, to be deferred by
Theory that water, the highway of COM
merce, is bar to this expansion which
trackless deserts has not confined nor by
puerile fears that we are unequal to
legislate for the incorporation of any
territory into our body polite.
Out of the vast aggregate of Island
territory which darkens the chart of the
Pacific west of the 140th meridian, there
remains today only two important is
land groups unabsorhed By European
powers. Hawaii and Samoa in cores
ponding and commanding positions in
the North and South Pacific Hawaii
standing, the jewelled out post of our
Golden Gate,n and Samoa, where must
pass that rich traffic to Australia and
to the Indies, to which the parting of
this Continent and the union of the
seas shall give birth.
Regarding these two groups there has
been written, my friends, there is still
being written chapter discreditable and
unparalleled in our diplomatic history.
say, still being written, and to what
degree of abasement the nation is now
being carried by fanatical policy pois-
oned by the personal pique of the Secre-
tary of State, we are not permitted to
know. But we do know this, that so
Tar as it has become known, it has ex-
cited the ridicule and contempt of other
nations and the quick condemnation of
N f.oea A. I,
of other nations we need not much con-
Germ ourselves, but we have serious
grievance in our own mistreatment,
1t there is anybody on earth from
whom the people of this country have
the right to expect
HONEST ANDi STRAIGHTFORWARD
STATEMENTS
it is from the President of the United
States in regard to the trusts with which
he is charged. And if there is any Presi-
dent in all our history whose professions
give us the right to expect this above
all, it is President Cleveland. But I
submit that regarding Samoa and
Hawaii he has not dealt fairly by our
confidence. His messages to Congress
regarding these have been declarations
OF prejudice, presenting a case made up,
not those of patriotic President sub
uniting question to the wider discre-
ton of Congress.
Ihey nave been messages Of denuncia-
ton. of the denunciation that would
destroy, containing none of the sugges-
lions OF statesman who would rearrange
and build up. They have been messages
OF deception, designed to conceal the
very information they profess to give,
to blind public opinion, while by means
1T would not sanction the country is led
along into pitfalls that might we'll have
Deen prepared by our enemies, such en-
barrassment and shame our extrication
has costs us.
speak first of the question of Samoa,
not because it is the most imuortant.
but because it is SO little understood.
Probably there is no question in which
our government has become SO deeply
involved, SO little understood as this.
who knows how it was that our rela-
lions there q few years ago brought us
to the verge of war with Germany, and
actually cost us In lives and treasure
the price itself Of war? Who knows the
point of honor behind all this~and the
| material interests at stake? The letter
| OF the Secretary of State transmitted
by the President does not enlighten, nor
was it designed to do so. Apparently it
is directed against the present agreement
regarding Samoa, commonly known as
the Berlin Act. Really it is directed
against our whole policy which has
brought us there.
If
THE CONCEPTION OF MR.. CLEvE-
LAND
and Mr.. Gresham of the duties of their
high Offices be indeed to undo and de-
story what has been done for us in the
Pacific by. the preceding administration,
if, as regards Samoa, they wish not only
to undo this, but to set aside for naught
what has been gained for us by President
Grant, By Secretaries Fish, Evarts, as
we'll as by Benjamin Harrison and
James G.Blaine, let them proceed, but
let us have an end to false pretences, ana
let them honestly avow the reason for
their action!
My friends, I am not here as partisan
OF the Berlin Act but having witnessed
the labors of those who framed it, know
ing the history Of Its inception and hav-
ing participated in it's workings when nut
into execution | protest against the
Misrepresentation made of it which
enables the President and the Secretary
of State to use it as stalking horse be-
hind which for motives of their own
they attack connection long and advant-
ageously maintained by our govern
ment.
We have not time for details, but this
much should be known, that the Berlin
Act had its occasion in the events of Mr..
Cleveland's first administration, and
comes very near being his own creation.
During conference which he had sum
moned at Washington to discuss Samoan
affairs on the agreed basis of the preser-
walton of the neutrality of the Islands,
German squadron seized them, deport-
ed the King and outrageously violated
the treaty rights Of American citizens.
The affront was fragrant if not inten-
tional For less than this, far weaker
nations have rushed to war. Mr.. Cleve-
land and his Secretary of State sat mute.
The
COUNTRY CALLED LOUDLY FOR
ACTION.
To appease public sentiment the ships
were sent and sacrificed to the blunder.
| ing incompetency of the administration.
| Under the leadership of a senator from
this State. Congress appropriated $780,.