The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-25
The Talk About Dividing Samoa.

In the present discussion Of the Samoan
question. our rights in Pago-Pago harbor
are not brought into question. They rest
on the treaty concluded on Jan. IT, 1878,
by Secretary EvARTs and NIX. LIE MAMEA,
the Samoan plenipotentiary at Wash
ington. This concession antedated by
whole year the grant OF n naval station to
Germany, and by more than year and
half the similar grant to Great Britain.
Thus Of the three powers now directly
concerned in the future of Samoa the United
States Government was the first to acquire
rights in the islands. Our priority In this
respect was recognized in the order in
which the representatives Of the three
powers signed the treaty Of Berlin. That
agreement was signed first by the Ameri-
can Commissioners, next by the German,
and lastly by the English.
Our rights in Pago-Pago harbor. in the
island OF Tutula, were not modified or
affected by the Berlin treaty, whereby the
United States, Germany and Great Britain
provided for q joint supervision OF the
affairs Of Samoa, and agreed that until the
treaty was changed by consent OF all three
powers neither power should exercise
separate control.
We hear now in various quarters sug-
gestions for settlement OF the Samoan
question and removal OF the constant
international friction resulting from the
tripartte arrangement. by parcelling out
the islands among the signatory powers;
Germany, for example, taking Upolo,
the principal member OF the group;
England taking Savaii. which is less
desirable property, and the United States
Government contenting itself with Tutuila,
of little Importance as territory. but con-
tanning the excellent harbor which is already
inalienably ours for n naval station.
This is described as "a way out" 1t Is
indeed way out, only little less direct
than the ignominous exit recommended
| five years ago by Mr.. CLEVELAND and MIR.
GRESHAM. under the same impulse that
prompted them to haul down, upon a GER
| tain infamous occasion, the United States
| flag in Hawaii
For the immediate avoidance OF a difficult
| question OF craftsmanship there could be
no simpler and easier plan of disposing Of
| the three islands than to assign one Of
them to us, one to Germany and one to
| England. But the short and easy way
out" Is not the main consideration for an
| expanding nation now wisely concerning
itself in the Pacific with ways in rather
than with ways out.
| Tho principal thing to consider Is the
probable future value OF a naval station
and small island outpost in the South
Pacific with the rest Of the group dominated
by either Germany or Great Britain; for
| a nj Of tInSa ttun
would be sure in the long run to gain
| exclusive possession.
| This same possible contingency was con-
templated ten years ago by better Demo-
crat and clearer-sighted American than
either Mr.. CLEVELAND or Mr.. GRESHAM
| namely the Hon. WILLIAM C. WHITNEY
Secretary WHITNEY spoke the plain truth
when he said in $780,
1T appears that the conquest of these islands Ia
| intended by the German Government. A hArbor at
Samoa will become of national consequence to us in
the future as naval power. but II the islands 10
90 under German dominion Il Mould cease to be of
| use"
Change q single word in the above pre-
scient paragraph and the proposition is true
regarding the future value OF Pago-P ago to
us in case Upolo and Savai should go under
| British dominion.
Germany unotlicially Processes indifler-
ence as to the disposition to be made of
Samoa, provided she is released from the
embarrassments inherent in the present
unfortunate method of control. England
is well furnished with island stations in
that part of the globes surface, and at
present she has larger fish To fry. On tho
main lines of expansion pursued by
these European powers and world powers
we are neither interfering, nor do we desire
to interfere. But Samoa is on the line Of
American expansion, and both by its geo.
graphical position and by its peculiar his
torical and sentimental relations TO the new
destiny opening before the United States,
that lovely Pacific group is marked in tho
great design with the American colors.
Not to discover way out, and not merely
to maintain nominal hold upon what we
already possess in Pago-Pago, but to rem
der that possession valuable instead of
| worthless in ths centuries to come. by