The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-25
TRIED n F|VE TINES
Germany Always Baked in
Samoa by Uncle Sam.
STORY OF HER ATTEMPTS
For a Quarter of a Century to
Gobble the Group.

-
The latest attempt, If which news Ia:
; come during the last wee6, is tho fifth
IN which the Germans has resort"d e
force. In these CO ltro ye-sias me United
States has not always ha.' the support Of
Great Britain as we nave today, 5dt nov
, ortneIess America has won ~ dIil6.::a cv,
: Judging the futu e Of the pass 4 is safe
y PREDICT tina. fha German government
will disavow the acts of is officials and
recall the Consul
Of late German diplomacy has been Ill
Iected to endeavor to secUce division OF
the islands amo1s the three rowcrS-U1it-
e1 States, Great Britain and GernaTy--
who have agreed by sclem1 Treaty With
| tn. Samoans = preserve the INTEGRITY #
the island kingdom and protect it from
| its enemies. The suggestion for a divi-
sion was made last summer, but Presi-
dent Mckinley refused to consent al
| though England was supposed to be will
ing. Hence nothing came OF it.
The present trouble, like those o; the
| past, seems to have lis origin in a German
| attempt to secure TIE Islands for then own
| use. The King, Malietoa Laupepa, died
I
| alton to the throne from which GERMANY
had removed him. Under the Berlin treaty
! the natives are allowed to elect their own
ruler, but If there is any dispute the mat
ter shall be left to the Chief Justice, who
al present is an American. Chief Jus
/ tice Chambers declared Malietoa Tands to
4 have been elected, and that Mataafa, who
| was supported by the Germans, was dis
qualified. Upon this according TO tire news
which comes by way Of Auckland the
| German consul refused to recognize the
new King, declared Mataafa elected, and
| encouraged a rebellion by the claimant.
| The German Consul declared the Ger
man Municipe President to be Chief JUS
! tce in succession to Chambers and the
! British and American Consuls were COM
| PEELED to use force to restore Mr.. Cham
| bers to his legal position
As the German efforts have failed in
the past, so they are regarded as likely
| to fail on this occasion. Each time the
Germans have interfered in Samoan af-
fairs they have been thwarted by the
United States.
President Cleveland was anxious that the
United States should withdraw from the
group, for he opposed our interference in
affair outside the American continent.b but
President McKinley's policy is not the
same in this respect and any over act on
the part of the Germans will, probably
meet with prompt action on the part of
the United States.
OF the three other nations which joint
| ly control Samoa under the Berlin treaty
of 1889 mono has so great a sentimental in
terest as the United States, For twenty
six years this country has been Samoa's
| best friend, and the history Of Samoa the
United States plays an important part.
Aside from sentimental considerations, the
United States owns the harbor OF Pango-
Pargo, one of the most desirable naval
bases in the Pacific. We have held it
since 1872 yet it is only the other day
that any effort has been made to improve
il, although its use has been recommend
ed by naval authorities under evey admin
istration. The United States steamship
Mohican was sent there in October, and
the Charleston has been ordered there
since, to protect American interests. Lieu
Engineer Miller arrived in November last
to superintend the work Of building the
coalng station. is contemplated opera
tons are viewed with dislike by the Ger
mans, and it is now reported that they
will protest against the Improvements as a
violation Of the Berlin treaty.
OF the many harbors in the fourteen
Samoan islands that of Pango-Pango is
by far the best shelter for ships, and has
a capacity for the largest vessels. extend
ing into the Island of Tutulla for three
miles. The water is of great depth, while
being almost completely land-locked it is
safe from storms such, for instance. as
destroyed the American and German fleets
a. Apia in 1880 The harbor can be easily
defended. and it is the key position in the
Samoan group.
Its Importance in connection with our
possession of Hawaii and the Philippines.
and the probable construction of the Mica
ragua Canal, is immense. Il is en- route
from San Francisco to Auckland. from
Pana to Sydney. and from VALPARAISO
to China. 1t is half way form Honolulu
to Auckland, and is the most convenient
stepping pace for ships.
German intrigue in Samoa and the in
terests of the United States in the
The United States had received
the grant of the harbor OF Pango-Pango
as a naval station in 1872. the negotiations
the part of the America government be
ing carried on by Commander (since Rear
AdmiraD Meade. who realized the value
CT the port as a naval base in the Paci-
nc. In the treaty made between the Unit
ed States and The King II was understood
that the United States should use its kind
offices in behalf of the Samoans whenever
il might become necessary. on this ac-
count some objection was made TO the RAJ
ihcation of the treaty when the matter
come before the senate II is implied
American protection over the island. 5u.
the arguments made by the navy led TO
its ratihcatica
Since then the United States has had
constant trouble with Germany over the
rights OF the natives IN The islands S7,r-
-essive treaties were made by GERMANY
Great Britain and the United States with
the King that pun great authority in the
hands Of the Corsuls and save foreign
ers unusual. The Germans were The most
numerous a. The foreign element. and they
wished 70 secure q monopoly Of the trade
in fact. a German company as far hack
as -7-5 mad stirred up rebellion s7lnnort-
ing the Gains OF q would be k.rr Who
in return for the German aid was "a give
The company q monopoly Of tha trade
in corpra. This dea, succeeded tenn,o--
arily. but ultimately the natives were able
10 restore Mahetoa 10 power
In the treaties OF 1881 Germany and