The San Francisco call., 1899-05-07

SO far as l am aware, no such ques>
tion has yet come up al the Foreign
Office. At any rate, it is too early to
discuss the subject, as no evidence, pro
or con, has been advanced on either
side. 1t appears that the sole basis for
the wholesale charges in the newspa-
pers with regard to these alleged enOr-
nous damages is a few private letters
received from the Philippine Islands
and Samoa, in which the writer's seem
to make out a case in advance"
The Vossiche Zeitung and other jour-
nails have reproduced two of these let
ters, taking for granted all that was
therein claimed, and arguing on the
lines presented by the writer's Of the
letters, who. among a number Of al
legged facts, asserted that Major Cen
eral Otis at Manila had bluntly de-
cl1ned to recognize any German claims
for damages. When ambassador White
was asked about this matter he was
Verv reticent, only saying: "Of course
the reports of General Otis on any OF
these cases would have great weight
with the State Department, but in any
event the final adjustment of such
claims must be made at Washington,
and not at Manila"
The Kreuz Zeitung, in the course of
an editorial that has attracted a great
deal Of attention, said: Despite the
African agreement between England
and Germany, and despite the civilities
interchanged, this extraordinarily per-
f1dous action in Samoa was planned by
the English, who kept in the back
ground and sent some American hot
spurs to the front in order to esta blish
the fact Of an Anglo American broth
erhOOd in arms and embroil Germany
and the United States to the extent
that an understanding was rendered
next to impossible. This much is Ger.
tain, that the friendly understanding
many is a combination that British
statecraft just now reIishes least Of
all"
The North German Gazette, mention,
ing reports that English and American
merchants in Samoa express a desire
TO see Germany annex the whole of the
group. bitterly attacks the Imperial
Foreign Office for suppressing this
statement and keeping it out of the
press.
The Agrarian Deutsche Tags Zeitung
in the course of a severe review of Ger
many's attitude toward the United
States during the past year blames this
Imperial Foreign Office with "knucklfne
down to the Americans in every case
even recalling the instance of Admiral
Won Diederichs at Manila, $50 as not tc
hurt the feelings of Messieurs "the
Americans" The article concludes as
follows: Only by now showing a bold
and unyielding front can the prestige
of the empire. which has suffered 50
seriously latterly, be established"
The same newspaper and a number
Of others blame the Emperor for show
ing too much friendliness toward the
Americans, and charge President Nc
Klnley with gross want of tact in
not replying to Emperor Williams tele-
gram Of congratulation on the subject
OF the new transatlantic cable in Ger
many and thus outraging all interna-
tional courtesy. On the other hand the
Berlin Tageblatt. the Cologne Gazette
and large part Of the liberal press
take more rational view of the rela-
tions' between Germany and the United
States, alluding to the good will of the
United states as recently shown on
several occasions in highly conpIimen-
tary terms.