The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-21
WE GOT THE BEST
SLICE OF SAMOA
SECRETARY HAYS DIPLOMACY
Ease With Which United States
Carried All It's Points AmnleS
Foreign Attaches,

one u tho important provisions u
the now samoan agreement n that
both the Unit u States and Grra, Bri.
tain are given equal rights with Ger
many In tho islands controlled by hat
power. the United States rrclprocnlly
giving Germany tho same privileges
extended TO our own people, 20 that In
tho entire Sam Jan group the ,hrgc
nations arc placad on precisely the
same footing and no nation can gnin
advantage ~ the other by thnn dis
examinations or other RESTRICTIONS 90
commerce This n distinct personal
triumph for Secretary Of State Hay.
when the partition nchemc was irHi
proposed. Germany claimed 10 havr
the right 10 make hcr own ,arin. which
would have operated against American
commerce
To this Mr Hay would no, consent
lie insisted that Americans mus, have
equal trade rights with Germans and
that any tafn imposed must be uni.
form. to which Germany was nnnliy
induced 10 cona~n ny this arrange.
msni whatever commerce Americans
have built up since the samoan islands
were placed under ife control NJ the
thrco powers will not BE- destroyed
and inHsmuch Rs geographically lhc
United States In IN a better position %
compete Tor the trade u the islands
than h Germany. 'horc h no r-ason
why the bulk ~ the trade ~ the sG-
moan islands should no, bc controlled
by American nrmA.
The morr this question of the aamonh
question n studied. the more It " seen
that II - q Victory Tor American IL
plcmacy. and that America has go, a
good deal tho b~ai ~ the bargain This
being the fac, the carpinR criticisms
~ certain newspapers seem entirely
out Of place The opposition mas found
fault with tho settlement broauA- the
United States contents lisolf with a.
smaller island. as II islands were val
uablr solely on arcOun, u their area
The inland II Tutulia. which falls ,o
the share OF the United States. con-
talnH the hncs, harhar IN tho entire
group, tina, " PaEo Pago. and one Of
the nncs, harburs In the Pacinc
Prior to this agrrcmcn, IN, United
States had simply l'aac o, tho har-
Dor, very unsatisfactory lcma. which
made It's tenure uncertain, Now that
the United states ~ given absolute
possession Of 'ho island. lts rights to
tho harbor are confirmed and cannot be
asaailcd
II IL true tho Savavii II larger ISL
and than Tutula. hut tho climate ls |
said 10 b. 40 had that ~ white man
can live there - Il rains about 800
days In tho year. Al any rate. no
white man iotb i've there, which .
ought TO BE- convincing to most people
that the island can have little CONNER
rlal Importance
The ease with which the United
States ob'ain"d all that u wanted Is
The umaxcmcnt Of the diplomatic corps
In Washington. who during the last
couple Of years have come to have an
immensely iner,aasd respect Tor Amer
can diplomacy As one prominent
member OF the corps said recently in
llscussing the matter;
"The way In which this thing was
arranged seems 90 me something Ike
his Mr. Hay called the British and
3erman governments into room.
'lacci On the table a beautiful fruit
AXE and two small cookies. Then
Mr. Hay picked up the large cake, put
I under his arm and said in his poli-
st manner Now, gentlemen, this Is
ny cake ANA nm going to keep H.
You may toss up a shilling or a l.rcuj-
ter and decide which ot you will take
hose dear little cookies"
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