The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-15

Berlin, April 14.-There was slim at
! tendance of members in the reichstag
today, but the galleries were crowded.
The United States embassy was present
at the session.
| The opening speech of the fnterpella-
| ton. to which the minister of foreign
| affairs had previously agreed to reply,
| was not q success and it was after
| wards said that the signers of the inter
pellation blundered in entrusting its
presentation to Dr. Le.hr. The latter.
! contrary to agreement, made strong
| references to economic matters in ar
guing against the American and Brit
! ish attitude in Samoa limiting that Ger
many would fight both countries eco
nOmically if Jhwarted politically. The
party leaders. one after another, repu-
dated Dr.. Lehr's declarations.
| The speech of the minister of foreign
affairs also fell fiat and was hardly ap-
| plauded at the end
In substance the Interpolation was
signed by d majority Of the center reicn
party. conservatives and national lib
| erals. asked the general for Information
| regarding the events in Samoa. and also
requested information regarding the
measures taken or to be taken by the
government under the circumstances.
The foreign minister. in his reply, en-
phasszed Germany's adherence to the
Samoan act. the Encouragement Of
which he claimed. was desirable to the
government. Continuing. the minister
said the government knew nothing OF
the conflicts said to have taken place
! between the American Admiral Kautz
and the commander Of the German
warship Fake
VIEWS OF FOREIGN MINISTER.
In the course of his remarks the min
| lister of foreign affairs said:
Il am quite prepared TO express my
| views of an affair which, JUST now, is
| keenly occupying opinion and has been
for weeks the subject of serious atten-
ton upon the part Of the government
On the other hand, you will under
stand that in my official responsible pO-
sition l shall not say things that may
render a peaceful settlement of the
difficulty questionable.
Our attitude regarding the compli-
cation may be summed up in q single
sentence-adheTence to the legal status
created by the act SO long as the act is
not modified by the unanimous decision
of the powers. This is, to say, respect
for the rights appertaining to others
by virtue Of the act, but at the same
time full and unconditional mainte-
nance of German rights. In the inter
ests Of the tranquility of Samoa and
in the interest of calmer relations be-
tween the powers should they find it
advantageous. if the act has become
inadequate. it could be replaced by
fresh arrangement, corresponding bet
ter with the present situation.
with this idea. l said in the budget
committee that we were disposed to
consent to a clean separation. As how
ever, the disadvantages of the situation
were felt by both the other powers
equally with ourselves, we have no Oc-
casion and no need to make special
proposals of our own initiative. But,
SO long as the Samoan act exists, il
must be loyalty observed by all con-
cerned. The letter and spirit Of the act
require that final decision be only ef-
fected by the unanimous resolutions of
the three governments. We, therefore.
have allowed no doubt to remain in
London and Washington that we must
regard as not legally binding any
changes TO which we have not given our
assent. We could not permit a decision
regarding Samoa to be taken contrary
to the treaty rights and without or
even against us
PRINCIPLE OF UNANIdITY.
"This principle Of necessary unanim-
ity which is set up and defended by
us was accomplished by America. and
then also by Great Britain.
Another leading point of view for
us to hold aloof from is the dispute
fronted by several candidates for the
throne of Samoa, but we have not taken
sides. But the provisional government
of Mataafa having been recognized by
the three consuls it must have appeared
to our consul as the legal status que
until q new government was installed
by the unanimous resolution of the
three governments.
For the reason that we have taken
up a neutral attitude in regard TO the
internal affairs Of Samoa, we have nei-
ther participated in. nor approved the
Intervention of British and American
Warships IN these disputes.
Respecting the recent conflicts we
have only mutilated and defective tele-
grams from our consul and more or
less trustworthy reports from foreign
telegraphie agencies, so that it is not
yet possible for US to pass final judS-
ment on the affair.
Nothing, however. is known to us
concerning the reported conflict be-
tween the American admiral and the
commander of the Fake.
4 agree with the secretary of the
navy that the report of such a con-
fict is entirely unfounded, and 1 am
convinced that the conduct sense, hon
or, tact and self-ecntrol Of our naval
officers We're beyond praise, as was the
discipline of the men.
ARRESTED GERMAN SUBJECT
Regarding the German subject ar
rested in Samoa, he was evidently the
director of the plantation of Yaiele,
near Huffnagel We Immediately call
ed the serious attention of the British
government to the matter and eX-
pressed oursconfident expectation that
no harm would come to our country
man if. we certainly believed, he is
innocent.
THE final settlement cannot be pre-
iudiced BY the events in Samoa. This
Settlement viii not take place on the
spcf 1t can Q&ly be the result Of an
N orsfer to Bring about such q. read
.justrhent We have proposed to despatch
a asecisl commission, have demanded