The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-14
AND NOW THE cAROLINEs.

Information by the last steamer from
Honolulu is that the Spanish garrison in
the Carolines has been wiped out and the
islands captured by the natives. This was
accomplished it is said. by two native
kings and factions which have long been at
war with each other, combining their
forces and making common war against the
Spaniards. Thus in those islands, as in 9TH
ers recently possessed by Spain, hatred of
the common enemy has proved strong
enough to dominate other motives, and the
retribution that has been so long preparing
comes upon Spain there as in Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines. 1t is a distant
echo of our war with Spain, but it shows
that even in those remote islands the ma
tives knew when to seize the opportunity
of making common war against their ira
ditional enemy
The Caroline islands lie several hundred
miles this side of the Philippines and south
of the Ladrones. where we have present in
terests. We have also raised the flag over
Guam, with the intention probably of es-
taolishing coaling station, but not of try
ing to take possession of the group. The
islands were the subject of trouble between
the United States and Spain several years
ago. which might have led to war If this
government had asserted its rights or those
OF its citizens, as vigorously as it should
have done. The trouble grew out of the
persecution of American missionaries who
had established a successful mission in the
principal island of the group winning the
confidence of the natives and doing good
work This was enough to excite the hos
tiity of a government whose policy has al
ways been to hold its colonists down with
an iron hand, and after much persecution
the American mission was finally destroyed
and the missionaries expelled from the
islands, President Harrison, in his annual
message of 1891. said:
question has arisen with the govern
ment OF Spain touching the right of Amer
lean citizens in the Caroline islands. Our
citizens there, long PRIOR to the conflrma-
ton of Spain s claims to the rights of the
islands, had secured by settlement and pur-
chase certain rights, to the recognition and
maintenance OF which the faith of Spain
was pledged. l have had reason within the
past year very strongly to protest against
the failure to carry out this pledge on the
part of his Majesty'S ministers, which has
resulted in great injustice and injury to
the American residents
In his next annual message President
Harrison expressed regret that the claims
of the American missionaries, arising from
disorders in the Carolines, had not yet
been settled, but expressed the hope of a
satisfactory adjustment, lin view of re-
newed and urgent representations to the
government at Madrid" The adjustment,
which was reached during the next admin
istratiOn, embraced partial amends by
Spain for the destruction of property and
the death Of one American citizen, and this
followed by the expulsion of American
missionaries from the islands. Those who
have lived there say that Spanish rule has
been very cruel to the natives and OBJ
stacle to the development of the trade and
resources of the islands, which might be
made valuable. IF it shall prove true that
the natives have wiped out the Spanish
garrison it may open the way for posses
sion of the islands by some civilized power