The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-07
THE GOVERNMENT PRESS Is
STRANGELY SILENT.
THE AGRARlANS ATTACK Won BUElOW
The Kreuz Z.ifung Accuses England Of Skulk-
ing in the Background and Pushing the
United States Forward TO Embrol
Her With Germany.

Berlin, May O.-Ine Dellel mas taheh
complete possession of the public miAd
that German interests in Samoa have
been brutally and ruthlessly disregarded
both by England and United States. 1t
seems that this view is steadily gaining
strength with nearly all classes. The
press certainly reflects the sentiment
with increasing violence. The Govern
ment has done nothing the past week
either to fortify or to dispel this trend
of public opinion. The Government
press has been strangely silent upon the
subject
The Agrarian newspapers ana many
other journals have seized the occasion
of the birthday anniversary Of the I'M
peria Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ba-
ron Won Buelow, to severely attack him
for what they style his supine dsre-
gard of Germany's legitimate interests
in Samoa and his alleged obscquiousness
toward Great Britain and the United
States. The matter of claims for dam
ages. both i'm Samoa and the Philippians
Islands for German property in recent
engagements has also been injected into
the press discussion with singularly
growing excitement, the assertion being
made that the United States meant to
disregard these lust claims. The
Imperial Foreign Office, however. has
done nothing to create or foster this con-
dition of public feeling.
In an interview with the correspondent
here of the Associated Press. the United
| - A ii. IN NDr
Andrew ID. White. said.
'"The question of German claims for
damages for property destroyed III the
Philippine Islands or in Samoa in conse-
ouence of acts of our naval or land
forces was never once mentioned during
all the conferences which | have had
with the Imperial Minister for Foreign
Affairs"
1t appears that the sole basis for
the wholesale charges in the newspaper
press with regard to these alleged enor-
nous damages is few private LET
ters received from the Philippine Is
lands and Samoa, in which the writers
seek to make out Il case i'll advance.
The VOssische Zeitung and other jour
nails have reproduced two of these let
ters, taking for granted sall that was
therein claimed and arguing on the lines
presented by the writers OF the letters,
who among a number Of alleged facts,
asserted that Major General Otis n
Manila, had bluntly declined to recognize
any German claim for damages. OF this
Ambassador White said:
''Of course the reports of General
Otis on any of these cases would have
;erht h. Stof nj
ment: but in any event the final adjust
ment of such claims must lie made
at Washington. and not at Manila"
The Kreuz Zetung, in the course of an
editorial article that has attracted n
great deal of attention, said:
Despite the African agreement be-
tween England and Germany, and des-
pite the civilties interchanged, the ok
Itraordinarily perfidions action i'll Samoa
was planned by the English, who kept
in the background and sent some AmeIi-
can Hotspurs to the front in rider to
establish the fact of an Anglo-Amnr;can
brotherhood in arms and embrOil Ger
many and the United States, to the
extent that an understanding was rem
dered next to impossible"
The Agrarian Deutsche Tages Zei.nng.
in the course of Il severe review of Ger
many's attitude towards the United
States during the past year. blames
the Imperial Foreign Office with ''knuck-
ling down to the Americans in every
case, even recalling the instance of -Ad-
miral Won Diederichs at Manila so as
not to hurt the feelings of Messieurs the
Americans. The article concludes as
follows:
i'Only by now showing a oold and
Iunyieding front can the prestige Of the
Empire, which has suffered so seriously
latterly be re-established'
The same newspaper and number cf
others blame the Emperor for showing
too much friendliness toward Americans
and charge President Mckinley with
a gross want of tact in not replying
to Emperor Williams telegram Of ctn-
graduation on the subject or the rev
Transatlantic cable in German, and
thus Outraging all international cour-
tesy."
On the other hand the Berlin Tage-
blatt. the Cologne Gazette and the
greater part of the Liberal press take
Il more rational view of the relations be-
tween Germany and the United States.
alluding to the good will of the United
States as recently shown on several oc-
Icasions in highly complimentary terms.