Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-08
SAMOAN QUESTION
WORRIES OFFICIALS
Conferences at State Department
Between Hay and British and
German Ambassadors.
NOTHING NEW FROM APIA
Dispatches AnxiousIy Awaited From
Kautz, but No Messages Come
---Germany's Probable
Action.

Washington. April THE serious
| condition of affairs in Samoa engaged
the attention of officials throughout
the day yesterday, and there were con-
f~erences at the white house between
he president and Secretary Hay and at
the state department between the Sec
rotary and the British ambassador and
Baron von Sternberg, first secretary OF
the German embassy. But out OF II
all not a word of additional inforina-
ton was contributed from any Official
source. The only authoritative state
ment came from the navy department,
giving a brief dispatch from Admiral
Kautz. This threw no light on the
latest outbreak, and owing to a tangie
of dates it served only to further in
volve the mystery. I'm view OF the fact
that the fighting was widespread and
long continued, and that the foreign
offices at London and Berlin had been
officially advised Of the affair, il was
regarded as somewhat strange that
the state and navy departments should
be entirely without information on a
bombardment by an American admit
raj. Up to the close of Office hours IL
was stated nothing had come from any
Of our representatives in Samoa deal
ing with the outbreak of hostilities.
The calls of Sir Julian and Baron Won
Sternberg were mainly for informa-
ton. for at neither Of the embassies
had there been n report of the causes
or results up to the time OF the calls.
The Samoan crisis divided attention
with the situation at Manila in all Of
fetal quarters yesterday. At the for
cign embassies. where the Samoan
crisis has been a subject Of considera-
lion Of late. considerable anxiety was
shown lest the affair. should assume a
grave international aspect. While
there may be Il dearth of official infor-
nation. at the same time the actual
events carry out what has been antici-
pated and give a basis for in~telligently
considering the further joint action 81
the two governments in the complete
settlement of the entire Samoan trou-
BILE. Both nations are acting in com
plete accord, not only as TO the gen
!ral solution OF the Samoan problem,
but in particular with reference TO the
force eXerted by the British and Amer
lean naval commanders.
As to the German attitude, it is
stated positively in a quarter thor
rughlv familiar with German Official
sentiment, that the outbreak now
reached can under no circumstances
ne construed as an overt act in which
Germany has casus belli. This is from
such a source that it largely removes
the possibility of international
complications. As an evidence or
the conciliatory sentiment OF the
German government il was said
yesterday that the note deliVerea
to the state department last week
urged i'm behalf of the German govern
ment thai the good relations existing
between two such nations rs the
United States and Germany wouid not
be interrupted by a matter OF such
comparative unimportance as an OIL
fetal dispute in Samoa. IT is sad that
the German government probably
would have accepted Admiral kautz
as a sort of umpire, taking his
decision as final, but that the obJec-
ton quite forcibly expressed 10 the
state department was the manner OF
his going TO Samoa. while friendly ex
changes were going on, without notice
TO Germany.
There is no evidence thus far that
Germany will protest or assume q
belligerent tone. From the German
standpoint the most serious aspect Is
that the bombardment will excite pub
lie feeling on both sides of the water,
leading to popular outbursts which
will overcome the efforts to secure q
settlement.
One of the latest propositions
toward a settlement is that three com
missioners be appointed, n from
each country, to meet in Samoa aud 81
as a court i'm settlement of the diff'
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