The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08

reconciliation IL possible, and therefore u
n impossible 70 avoid the conclusion that
the real ground Of CLEvELAND's objection
to the Samoan treaty was that II had been
concluded under HARRIsoN's Admlnistra-
tion instead Of under his own CLEvF.
LANDS Samoan policy, like his Hawaiian
policy, was the product Of spite.
There IL no doubt that the fundamental
purpose Of the Samoan treaty is answered,
and will continue to be answered, 90 long
a. we insist upon the maintenance Of the
convention. That purpose was the preser-
walton Of our rights at Page Pago, and the
assurance Of the naturalization OF the ISL
nnds. We had recognized the Importance
of those objects AZ far back as 1872, when
our Government obtained from the High
Chief Of Pago Page the exclusive privi-
lege Of establishing a naval station In
that harbor. In 1877 q treaty was ne
gotiated between the Governments Of Sa-
moa and the United States, wherein It
was provided that naval vessels Of the
United States shall have the privi-
lego Of entering and using the port
of Pago Pago, and of establishing therein
and on the shores thereof q station for coal
and other naval supplies for their naval
and commercial marine, and the Samoan
Government will hereafter neither exercise
nor authorize any jurisdiction within said
port adverse to the rights Of the United
States or restrictive thereof" The value
of the harbor Of Pago Page, considered as
q station for coaling and repair, is incon.
testable. In 1880 Admiral WILKES de-
scrlbed 1t as "of all the ports the best
fitted for the reftting Of vessels" In
1873 the British Consul at Samoa re-
ported to his Government the concessions
made to the United States "in the mag
niflcent harbor Of Pago Pago," and ex.
pressed the hope that the privileges might,
In a certain contingency, be acquired by
England. In the same year the North Ger.
man Confederation instructed its Consul to
obtain control of Pago Pago harbor, but he
arrived too late. The American Commits
sioner, Mr.. COWARD. wrote from Page Pago
In 1873: 1.-THE harbor Of Pago Pago is the
most important in the South Seas" FIND
Lays South Pacific Directory, the standard
manual Of navigation for those waters,
says Of Pago Page: at is a deep land.
locked basin of easy approach and perfectly
secure anchorage" Geographically, Samoa
stands as an outpost in the vast southern
sea, Just as Hawaii does in the northern
Pacific. Should it be appropriated by any
foreign power, there will be obtainable by
us no foothold south Of the equator, no
place to which we can go as a matter Of
right. Should we once relax the grasp
upon it which our treaty gives us, annexa-
tion by Germany or England would imme-
diately follow.
To the charge tfat the Samoan Islands
are unsuited In respect Of climate for the
residence Of white people, Mr.. lDB replies
that the extremes OF heat and cold are
ninety degrees and sixty degrees F., and
that his W family, including three ladies,
never enjoyed so good health as they did
during the years Of their %sojourn in Samoa.
1t Is well known that Samoa was the only
place in which ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
could enjoy life. Is there any more founda.
ton for the statement that. commercially,
the islands are northeast 1t is true that
the last eight years have witnessed a
depreciation Of the price Of copra, the
principal present product Of the islands,
but this is due to increased production OF
the commodity in other parts Of the world.
Mr.. IDE bears witness to the richness Of
the soil, which now supports between So.
900 and 10000 people In comparative idle.
ness, and which under such industrial con-
ditions as are beginning to prevail in Ha-
wall would give sustenance and employ
ment to a large population. To abandon
Samoa to Germany now, for the reason that
the price OF copra has declined. would he as
II thirty years ago we had allowed a Euro
pean power to absorb Hawaii upon the
ground that its was then insig-
nihcant.
Now, as to the expense imposed upon our
State Department by the Government es-
tablished under the treaty in Samoa. This,
1t appears, Is actually less than 81 800 per
year, a sum ludicrously small to he made the
pretext Of receding from a compact which
gives us the right to share a precious coign
Of vantage in the South Pacific. Even II a
warship should be sent occasionally by us
to Samoa, az one Is sent by the other par.
ties to the treaty, the cost to us would be
no more than that Of maintaining the war
ship In other remote parts Of the world
where 1t carries our flag. In 1888, when
the oppression and indignities to which
our ~citizens were subjected by German
officials at Apia brought US almost with.
in sight OF war, Congress appropriated
100000 for the defence Of our inter-
ests in Samoa. Our interests there will
not be menaced by Germans or by any.
body else 30 long as we uphold the treaty,
the trivial cost Of which Is pointed out
by Mr.. IDE. We know by experience.
however, what would happen to our citi.
gems resident In Samoa should we renounce
our rights under the treaty, and permit
Germany to annex the islands. The ami.
hilation Of American trade In the Marshall
Islands through discrimination in favor of
German merchants in customs duties and
other legal exactions shows what the estab.
lishment of a German protectorate in Samoa
would mean.
What Is the question that confronts us
In the matter Of Samoai Mr.. IpE answers
that 1t Is not, Shall we enter upon a career
OF extension and annexation In the Paci.
hci That question is closed the field Ia
nz.,t TrA.-- l. A. nm