The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-10
TRAFFIC IN ISLANDS.
Has Apparently Ended to the Salts
faction of All Concerned.

New York, Nov. 1O-A dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
Lord Salisbury is always phlegmat1c
and intensely practical on great Oc-
casions when the empire is fairly hang
ing upon his words. There was not
trace of emotion or excitement in his
speech last night at the guild hall ban
quet, where he and Lord WOlseley were
received like cOnquering heroes. He be
gan with Samoa as quietly as though
he were describing a bargain in trade,
and pointed out that Germany was
specially interested in the territory
there and had got what she wanted,
whereas England did not need a. poor
harbOr like Apia, but good one like
that in Tonga.
With the contentious comment that
EnglandS relations with Samoa We're
all that could be desired he passed to
an equally practical discussion OF the
war. He cOntended that the lack Of
troops in South Africa was not due to
want of action, since an ultimatum
would have come earlier if the troops
had been increased earlier. He described
the real cause of hOSti1tl@S as the IN
fortunate arrangements Ct 1881 Dy
which a community admittedly hostile
was allowed to accumulate unbOunded
munitions of war. The object of Eng
Hsh warfare, he asserted, was neither
gold nor territory, but equal rights for
all men and the issue of the conflict
would be good government in South
Africa.
The prime minister's speech was re-
markable for the GOODNESS and lack Of
SenS1D1l1ty with which supreme QueS-
tons OF diplomacy and war were sum-
med up; yet it was powerful and
subtle appeal to every day English com
mon sense and reasOnableness 1t
tended to minimize controversy and eX-
element and bring out the best Eng
1ish trait-sObriety of judgment.
The diplomatic world and the leader
writers are still discussing the Berlin
disclosure of the relations of England
and Germany as the most important
topic of the times America is general
"a
state department has obtained the best
harbor in that quarter of the Pacific.
The Importance of PagO Page as a
cOaling and naval station mas greatly
Increased since the occupation of Ma
Mia. America now has naval base
which can be strongly fortified, and a
good haven of which the full advantage
may be taken in the development of the
trade of the South seas, if the example
of Canada, England and Germany be
followed in substituting steamship lines
under the American flag. The state de-
partment has also increased American
prestige by asking for European guar
antees for the open door principle
in the far east, and is credited with
having obtained a favorable answer
from Germany.
The settlement of the Samoan ques-
ton has created an area of good feel
ing between America on the one side
and both England and Germany on the
other and has left the United States IN
full possession OF everything for which
it could reasonably have asked. Ger
many has carried off the prize for
which she has been long struggling in
the South Pacific and has not paid
heavily for it either in that quarter or
in Zanzibar or in West Africa. The dis
closure of this series of transfers of
territory and Jurisdiction enables the
German emperor to claim the credit of
having made a good bargain with Eng
land without exciting American sent
1ment and justifes his journey to
Windsor in war time where he Will be
received like a faithful ally England 8
interest in Samoa was mainly senti-
mental and centered in memories of
Stevenson. When America retained
Tutuila and left England and Germany
free to come to an agreement over the
other two large islands. of which only
one was worth having, it was evident
that there were not two bites in the