Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-11

4pecial washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, November 10.-Ex-
pansion proceeds apace. Our newest
acquisition is to be the Island OF Tu-
tnila, in the Samoan group, on the
coast of which is located the coaling
station and harbor OF Pago-Pago, al
ready in American hands under an
agreement with the native rulers. The
Island has hithert been governed by a
native chief, enjoying the protection
Of the three powers which have made
such mess Of it in Samoa. 1t will
now be added to the list CT American
dependencies and will come wholly I'M
der American dominion and control.
Apparently the natives have not been
consulted in this new arrangement.
We have simply concluded to grab the
Islands and that is all there is to it.
,nasmuch as the new colony is only So
square miles in area and not largely
populated. it is not probable that we
shall have any trouble in asserting our
sovereignty. The navy department is
engaged in erecting coal sheds at Pago-
Page ard accommodating a supply of
coal there. to which, it may be as
sumed, will shortly be added quarters
for an American Governor and a de-
tachment Of artillery or handful of
marines.
The partitioping of Samoa is per-
haps the best solution Of vexed prob
lem, but it is none the less a barefaced
seizure of territory, of precisely the
same order as those against which we
have held up theri hands in holy horror
in China By the terms of the Berlin
treaty the independence Of the Samoan
government was recognized and upheld.
This treaty
is NOW TO BE ADVOCATED
as unavoidable. The Samoans are to
be deprived of their independence, both
real and theoretical, and are to become
the subjects of the United States and
Germany respectively. Again have we
expanded in the Pacific. this time to
get out of our first and most disagree
able alliance with European powers, an
alliance which marked the original de-
parture from our traditional policy Of
aloofness from foreign enlargement.
How we got into this alliance forms
an instructive lesson in the danger and
folly OF meddling with external af-
fairs, even under the guise of protect
ing so-called American interests In
1872 the United States made an agree
ment with the chief of Tutuila for the
cession of the harbor of Pago-Pago.
In order to confirm this it was neces-
sary to open negotiations with the Sa-
moan king. This was done, and
treaty concluded ratifying the cession
and recognizing the independence of
the Samoan government. This was the
beginning Of cur diplomatic relations
with the Samoans ultimately leading to
joint action with England and Ger
many, and to long
SERIES OF INTRIGUES
and acts of duplicity on one side or an
other, during all of which not an Amer
assert the purely American policy of
Withdrawing from such an unpleasant
alliance, although at enc time it nearly
plunged us into war with Germany
And 1t is a striking commentary on
this whole matter that at this day no
solution of the difficulty has appeared
but the reputation of all our guaran-
tees and the seizure of the territory
in question. This is the imperialistic
shortcut to the settlement of all dis
putes affecting inferior races. We
seem to have adopted it out of hand.
Our reported new foreign policy re-
specting China appears to have re-
solved itself into a purpose to insist
upon the integrity of our treaty rights
in that country. This is a proper