The San Francisco call., 1896-08-12
1t May Stir Into Action to De,
fend Our Samoan Trade
from the Germans
A MAIsHALL ISLAND STORY
Importint Letter From ]. R. Watson,
Which Goes to the Secretary
of the Treasury.

sriritseIf in behalf of this City's dwindhng
South Sea commerce, and especially in be-
haf of American interests in the Samoan
Ishnds, where the Germans are reported
to be again aggressively seeking to cap
ture the islands-commercia and politi-
eslly.
Hugh Craig presided at the meeting and
Secretary'W. L. Merry read the several
communications on which the board took
sction.
The financial question was brought up
through a Communication from the chair
man of the executive committee OF the
New York Chamber of Commerce, which
had been addressed to John J. Valentine
and by him referred to the cham ber
through Homer S. King, manager of
Wells, Fargo & Co.'S bank. A somewhat
similar letter had been received directly
by the Cham Der OF Commerce some time
ago, but 1t was never replied TO.
The letter from New York, seeking CO.
operation in benalf of sound money, was
as follows:
NEW YORK, July II, 1896.
John J. Valentine, President Wells Fargo &
Co., San FFdRciScO-DEAR SIR: l beg leave to
acknowledge receipt OF your valued favor OF
the 11th inst, the contents OF which l nave
you for the valuable Information you give me.
I regret to learn that the situation in Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington is at present
so uus satisfactory. Unfortunately the same
condition OF affairs obtains in a very large part
of the country and the silver craze has even
penetrated as far as the East and has infected
our farming population in the Middle and
Eastern States TO very large extent.
Our committee are continuing their educa-
tional efforts and are endeavoring to aid and
cooperate in the formation of sound money
organizations in other States and cities Tor the
purpose OF rouslng the sentiment in favor of
sound money and of carrying out a campaign
of education through the establishment OF
sound money clubs in small eenters, this being
in our opinion, the most effective way to com
bat the silver heresy.
1 understand perfectly that your large
responsibilities and cares will render II i'm
possible for you to undertake any active work
in the sound oney struggle that is before US,
but I take the liberty Of asking you il you
could give me the names and addresses OF
plominent bus ness men OF San Francisco who
have certain amount of leisure at their dis
posal and who could, in your opinion, give
aid in forming the nucleus for sound-money
organiZation.
Thanking you for any information that you
may be able to give US in this matter, l am,
my dear sir, yours very truly,
GUsTAyE Fl. SCHwAB,
Chairman Executive Committee.
Last fall the San Francisco Chamber of
Commerce put itself on record by adopt
bimetallism, declaring for the use of silver
to the extent possible with the coordinate
use of gold, and as since that time the
question has become party one the trus-
tees decided 10 let it alone. The New
York Chamber of Commerce will be in
formed, through Mr.. Valentine, that the
San Francisco Cham ber of Commerce does
not wish to take any action on the
subject.
A communication from the Sydney
Chamber of Commerce, replying briefly
and in a very general way to letters re-
gardIng the lumber trade with Australia,
was referred to the Pacific Pine Lumber
Company.
From the San Francisco Fruit Exchange
came a long communication requesting
cooperation n the protection of the mar
kets of San Francisco from the impure and
adulterated products which it has COM
parativeIy recently been discovered
are competing with local fruit products.
The letter was similar to one sent to the
Board of Health not long ago. The reply
was ordered sent that a special committee
on the matter would be appointed as re-
ouested, and promising the cooperation
of the chamber.
T. NJ. Close, who believes that he has in
venTed an auto. mobile submarine torpedo
which would be of great value in the de-
fense ofthis port, wrote inviting the atten-
tion and assistance OF the Chambe of
Commerce, but he will be informed by the
committee on harbor improvements that
submarine torpedoes are not among the
methods by which the chamber tries to
protect this City's commerce.
The matter which the trustees thought
of most importance and interest was the
American commerce of the South Seas
and the danger that what was left of the
Samoan trade would soon be gone through
German aggressions.
James r. Watson of this CITY, shin
ping and commission merchant of long
experience in the trade, sent long letter,
which will be transmitted to the Secretary
of the Treasury as another means of urg.
ing the matter On the attention of the
Mr.. Watson sounded an
other note of alarm, described past COM
merciaI successes of the Germans in South
Sea competition with Americans and
urged the need of action as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, August 10, 1896.
". L. Merry, Esq, Secretary Chamber Of Com
merce-DEAR SIR: By steamer Monowai that
that the Germans at Samoa were again en-
deavoring to secure control OF these islands.
Their last attempts in this direction were frus-
trated by the active interference OF the United
States thanks TO our then Consul, II. NJ. Sew
all our Secretary of state, the late James G.
Blaine, and the Hon. w. W. Morrow, then
mem ber OF congress.
Mr.. Morrow, by the resolutions that he in
trodueed in Congress, effectively called it's at
tention to the interference of the Germans
with the good government of Samoa, aad by the
stand then taken by our Government, through
the late Mr.. Blaine the Berlin treaty was
brought about. From this treaty the islands
have derived considerable benefit.
The Germans, however, do not seem to be
content to work under the Berlin act, but aim
at the annexation of the islands. The German
press are urging their Government to appoint
as president OF the council a Somoa Mr..
BTandeis, who was instrumental in causing
the trouble that the Berlin treaty was intended
TO end, and if Mr.. Brandeis is appointed it will
be in violation of the terms of the treaty and
will assuredly cause trouble and en1 as the
Germans wish, in the annexation OF the
islands.
What the results will be If such annexation
to Germany occurs the Marshall Islands furnish
an example. Prior to 1880 the merchants and
of this City did considerable busi-
ness with the Marshall group. The late An
drew Crawford had head trading station on
the island OF Legiep with sub-stations through
out the group, and in the course of the year
would ship by his sailing vessels from this
port TO his house al Legiep California produce,
lumber, etc, and manufactured goods TO the
1 N voice raifa of geo O00 IN ~ 90 600 The bi0