Arizona republican., 1899-04-19
Coup That Involved America in
 Samoan Affairs. {
A ROMANCE OF DIPLOMACY
Psqo in 1872 Followed by d Ser ieS of Events ParaIIeled in Our History - Retaining Hold De- spite PerfldY and PIoftind of Germany.

Washington, April 1S-The part
 played by the United in the Samoan
 entanglement forms the most curious
 chapter of our diplomatic history.
 This fantas;.c episode, witch on
 our part had it's origin in an unau-
 thorized agreement looking to an American protectorate over one of the
 Islands, has been attended by a sinis- te. waste of blood, the most thrilling sea tragedy of modern times, the
 hoisting and hauling down Of the American flag. a resistance to reme- dial agencies quite mystifying and to-
 day tt presents an aspect far more re- assuring to the three great powers in yolved, while through it all runs Q tangled skein of diplomatic duplic.ty and coquetry without a parallel in that part of the world, and although out of keeping with the importance from any point of view, of the missr- able little group of islands or the wei fare of their still more miserable in haibitants
 This chain of events stretches back to 1872, at which time the Grant ad ministration with it's tendency to- ward island.c acquisition, dispatched Commander R. w Meade in the Mar Eagansett to look for a coaling station in the Pacific, on the route between San Francisco and Australia A line of steamers had been established be- tween these distant points, and it was desirable to have a midway place of supply, where the vessels might re- plenish their bunkers under the pro- tection of American guns.
 Previous to this period the Samoans had been converted to Christianity by American Protestant missionaries. un- der the lead of Rev. John Williams and some French Catholic missionar- ies, and the commerce Of the islands, insignificant in volume, had been di- v.ded between the Americans and the English until the cocoanut culture and export of copra grew to considerable proportions in the hands of the Ger mans.
 At the time of Commander Meade's visit in 1872, the island Of Tutuila, third in size and importance of the group, was governed by a great chief, independent Of the other islands, which were presided over by the two royal houses of Malietoa and Tupua ! Tutuila contained the harbor of Pago 1 Pago, one of the best in the South Pa cific, and after due delIberau.on Com mander Meade set about securing the i cession Of a coaling station there.
 Accordingly, he made an agreement | with the great chief Of the island. | which proposed to confer on this gov I o-ament the exclusive privilege of es- tabIshing a naval station at Pago | Pago bay for the equivalent of pro- tecting the island from any source of | outside danger Commander Meade the result of his mission to the navy department, and it was con, sidered to be of sufficient importance to form the basis of a special mes sage to the senate.
 President Grants message was ac- companted by a letter of protest from
  0f the North German Confederation in that quarter" but who is supposed to have been connected with the famous Hamburg firm of Gcdeffroy & Son. which was the pioneer of German CO., onial expansion, and enjoyed the powerful favor of Bismarck, whose citations were interested in the for unes of the firm.
 General Grant stated in his message hat Commander Meade acted with put special instructions or authority o enter into such an agreement, but hat the advantages of the concession N---ch 1t proposes to make are So great n view of the advantageous position f Tutuila, especially as a coaling sta 1 ion for steamers between San Fran lsco and Australia. that I should not { lesltate to recommend it's approval 'u- tor the protection on the part of ] he United States, which it seems to mply. With some modification of the Litigation Of protection which the [ agreement imports, tt is recommend I d to the favorable consideration Of I he senate
 That Commander Meade had not : cted entirely on his own initiative ' eens clear from the fact that along T nth the Presidents message there 2 1as transmitted a letter from the sec f etary of the navy to the secretary of f tate. descriptive Of Tutula and Pago 2 ago. setting forth the advantages o9 I he proposed cCaIing station, com r. lercially and stragetically. | More recently it has been admitted = hat the government desires to retain