New-York tribune., 1899-04-13
,,orurR SAMOAN INCIDENT.

,~ .rocic incident near Apla repoi'e" "
= a,sna+cbes will doubtless be regarueu "
u". 80 - a rehuke to our policy of ever mahins
in or entering into any relations ',m ~
Sc. Son,non Islands. Right-thinking men wiz
'no .o,.ord u hut will rather hold II 10 pe
no' .nu' ,,n,or+ IN favor of making stronger
'.noU'N - 80 civil,zotion Those who wouiu
'he -' a.,..rod Ga noa. and who would scut'ic
ont Of the Philippines and leave 'nen IAN
o-o o5orchv. would never have "opened '"p"n
Nv have discovered and settled A'''eiN"'
,rou,d have huddled upon the eastern '"o
Mou,. ....uu,noon IN the end of time. leaving
On per cent Of the world unknown anu ',,nos u
nrored The civilization OF the Wor'u i.HN
tbe+ the islands of the sea snoulu pe '""u 49,,
nc ma, r,,oces FOR peaceful commerce. ana CIV
uization has rights that even Daroarisn 10
.roo. rho mutilation of the Dodles vi
~ 4t.h;t, mon nv the Samoans is grewsolne
reminder of the old-time manners vi Una, 'D
i.., oon,a To cav that we had no right ever
to interfere with Samoan autohoh! y.
that for all time all our vessels crossihs 'no
oec must make the whole long run "'n0u
otonnnr at any midway island port Vi 'N"''
WIDER anv desperate stress such stop were n'aue'
oll the crew and passengers must pe put =" ''
ger Of decapltation. ,,a
Dismissing such preposterous pre'ehoe' a."
reckoning the incident, deplorapie as "
ono in which the forces Of CIVILIZATION "eio ~
the right, the bearing Of it upon diplohia'N ~
lot,ons In Samoa becomes salient ana pernap'
paramount The fact Is that a part VI DIV
;sb and American sailors was ampuscaueu' oN
Ground owned or claimed by German piah'ei'
NV rho retajners of that claimant OF the crown
whose claims the German local authori'leS iia'e
favored and encouraged. One report aous 'ha'
the German plantation manager inci'eu 'iie N'
+ires IN make the attack, and has been arresteu'
Those circumstances add greatly to the interest,"
and Significance Of the affair. BY some the!
w,,, doubtless be seized upon as ground TOT anu
German diatribes and renewed rumors OF war'
Such use OF them will be, we need scarcely say,
denIorable and quite unwarranted. Hranleo
that the reports are correct, they snow not the
slightest basis for any straining OF internauohai
relations. but rather the need or MAINTAINING
md STRENGTHENING their cordiality. Britons anu
Americans agree In complaining OF the conduct
of Germans In Samoa and In approving the con-
duct of the American naval commander, While
Germans take exactly the opposite view IN DOM
cases. But the Governments of all three natlons
are vet to be heard from. They Will not DE
hoard from. we presume. until their tripartte
Commission has investigated the whole situa-
t,on and reported upon IT, And we have no fear
that these great nations will become involved IN
war over the conduct Of a consugeneral or
rear-admiral
In such n place as Samoa, remote and not
readily accessible, the officers Of the Powers
often have to act entirely upon their own judg-
| mont and TO do so in circumstances not at all
! conducive to soundness Of judgment. There are
| fears of native uprisngs. magnifed estimates OF
personal importance and authority, and rival
rios and iealouses which increase proportion.
| atelv TO the square OF the distance from home.
| All these things add to the danger OF just such
| friction as has now occurred in Samoa, and they
also minimize the seriousness of its results. For
they will unfailingly be taken into account ny
| The Governments concerned Not one Of the
three treaty Powers is either too great or too
small TO acknowledge that one of its representa-
tives has erred If proof of his error shall be ad-
duced If that plantation manager did incite
the ambuscade Germany will not sustain him at
| the cost Of n world-war. II he was innocent,
and has been unjustly arrested, he will he re-
leased by Great Britain or the United States.
with suitable amends. He will not be a casus
belli nor. we are confident will the whole Sa-
moan question. The first duty in those islands
Is 10 restore and to maintain order. In that
work the British and Americans are co-operat-
ing admirably 1t is TO be regretted that the
Germans are not likewise cooperating. But the
fact that they are not docs not prove that they
are melting disorder. nor does it forbid expecta
ton that complete harmony Of policy and action
among the three Powers will presently be re-
| stored.