The record-union., 1896-01-18
NOTE AND COMMENT.

The American Consul for Apia says
that the people of Samoa represented by
the foreign white population are clam
orous for the removal of Schmidt, the
Poo-Bah official under the German
English American Samoan treaty. That
man holds more offices than he has
fingers, and is practically high ruler
and dictator. There is a x-thousand
dollars a year Chief Justice whom the
people also want deposed as he is a use
less attachment to the local Govern
ment Times are hard in the islands,
the natives are discontented, and the
tripartite protectorate does not work
we'll Cotton, sugar and tobacco grow
ing have proved failures, and there is
no money to be wrung from the people
to run the expensive Government that
has five thousand dollar advisor to the
King, without running or greatly dis
tressing owners of property. The plain
truth of the matter is that a mess has
been made of this whole Samoan bust
ness and the sooner we get out of it
the better. But Germany and England
should also be asked to retire. Let the
Samoans govern themselves or cut each
others throats as they choose. All that
is needed from the outside is strength
enough TO insure the safety of our peo-
pie there, and guarantee the right of
our traders to freely compete in Samoa
with those of other nations
President Krueger of TransyaaI is
said to have found plenty of documen-
tary evidence establishing the con-
spiracy of Cecil Rhodes and of Jameson
to seize Transvaal and use the wealth
of the country to strengthen the South
African Company. If this be true, what
viii England do when Rhodes and
Jameson are brought to trial in Eng
land and Krueger proves his case? The
English authorities cannot consent to
the conviction of these men without
arousing the English people against the
Cabinet and raising a storm of disap-
proval. 1t cannot refuse to hear Presi-
dent Kruger or consider the evidences
of Rhodes guilt They will be called
upon to explain how Rhodes and Jane
son could have carried on their prepara-
tions for the conquest of Transvaal for
months and the Colonial authorities
remain blind to what Kruger will show
| hundreds Of people knew, and that he
and his Cabinet We're well informed
about all the time? Who can doubt that
the English Government knew all about
the flibustering scheme? Who can
doubt that had the scheme succeeded.
TransvaaI would have been annexed to
the British empire?
The Fresno "Expositor'' saws that II
does not need to dodge the thunderbolt
of the Record Union as it never has
favored Government ownership of rail-
roads. Then the 'Expositor'' is not
embraced in the category of ignoram-
uses, who so little understand the func
tions of free government as to contem-
plate such folly as Government own
ership under such system as we have.
We congratulate the "Expositor.''
Anyone reading the press dispatches
from Washington of late will see that
someone is continually giving out the
impression that Cardinal Satolli is the
political representative of the Pope at
Washington instead of the spiritual
delegate to the Catholic Church of
America A dispatch published yes
terday says: Cardinal Satolli has not
rendered his services to Pope Leo as ar
bitrator in the Venezuelan controversy,
nor has the Cardinal received up to now
any intimation that he will be called