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embassy had to deal； the first to assume a virulent form was that
of the Samoan Islands。
During the previous twenty…five years the United States； Germany；
and Great Britain had seemed to develop equal claims in Samoa。
There had been clashes from time to time； in which good sense had
generally prevailed； but in one case a cyclone which destroyed
the German and American vessels of war in the main port of the
islands seemed providential in preventing a worse form of
trouble。
But now the chronic difficulties became acute。 In the consuls of
the three powers what Bismarck used to call the furor consularis
was developed to the highest degree。 Yet this was not the worst。
Under the Berlin agreement； made some years before； there was a
German president of the municipality of Apia with ill…defined
powers； and an American chief justice with powers in some
respects enormous； and each of these naturally magnified his
office at the expense of the other。 To complete the elements of
discord； there were two great native parties； each supporting its
candidate for kingship； and behind these； little spoken of； but
really at the bottom of the main trouble； were
missionaries；English Wesleyans on one side； and French Roman
Catholics on the other；each desiring to save the souls of the
natives； no matter at what sacrifice of their bodies。
This tea…pot soon began to boil violently。 The old king having
died； the question arose as to the succession。 The power of
appointing the successor having been in the most clear and
definite terms bestowed by the treaty upon the chief justice； he
named for the position Malietoa Tanu； a young chieftain who had
been induced to call himself a Protestant； but on the other side
was Mataafa； an old chief who years before had made much trouble；
had been especially obnoxious to the Germans； and had been
banished； but had been recently allowed to return on his taking
oath that he would abstain from all political action； and would
be true to his allegiance to the Malietoan kings。 He had been
induced to call himself a Catholic。
But hardly had he returned when； having apparently been absolved
from his oath； he became the leader of a political party and
insisted on his right to the kingship。
The result was a petty civil war which cost many lives。 Nor was
this all。 A drunken Swiss having one day amused himself by
breaking the windows of the American chief justice's court and no
effective punishment having been administered by the German
president of Apia； the Yankee chief justice took the matter into
his own hands； and this Little Pedlington business set in motion
sensation…mongers throughout the world。 They exerted themselves
to persuade the universe that war might； and indeed ought to；
result between the three great nations concerned。 On the arrival
of the American Admiral Kautz； he simply and naturally supported
the decree which the chief justice had made； in strict accordance
with the treaty of Berlin； and was finally obliged to fire upon
the insurgents。 Now came a newspaper carnival： screams of wrath
from the sensation press of Germany and yells of defiance from
the sensation press of the United States。
It was fortunate； indeed； that at this period the American
Secretary of State was Mr。 John Hay and the German minister of
foreign affairs Count von Bulow。 Both at Washington and Berlin
the light of plain common sense was gradually let into this
jungle of half truths and whole falsehoods； the appointment of an
excellent special commission； who supplanted all the officials in
the islands by new men； solved various preliminary problems； so
that finally a treaty was made between the three nations
concerned which swept away the old vicious system； partitioned
the islands between the United States and Germany； giving Great
Britain indemnity elsewhere； and settled all the questions
involved； as we may hope； forever。
Among my duties and pleasures during this period was attendance
upon important debates in the Imperial Parliament。 That body
presents many features suggestive of thought。 The arrangement
under which the Senate； representing the various states of the
empire； and the House； representing the people as a whole； sit
face to face in joint deliberation； strikes an American as
especially curious； but it seems to work well； and has one
advantage in bringing the most eminent servants of the various
states into direct personal relations with the rank and file from
the country at large。 The German Parliament has various good
points。 Some one has asserted that the United States Senate is as
much better than the British House of Lords as the British House
of Commons is better than the American House of Representatives。
There is much to be said for this contention； and there are some
points in which the German Parliament also struck me as an
improvement upon our Lower House： they do less than we in
committee； and more in the main assemblage； German members are
more attentive to the work in hand； and spread…eagleism and
speeches to the galleries which are tolerated at Washington are
not tolerated at Berlin。 On the other hand； the members at
Berlin； not being paid for their services； absent themselves in
such numbers that the lack of a sufficient deliberating body has
been found； at times； a serious evil。
As to men prominent in debate； allusion has already been made to
the chancellor； and various ministers of the crown might be
added； of whom I should give the foremost place to the minister
of the interior； Count Posadowski。 His discussions of all matters
touching his department； and； indeed； of some well outside it；
were masterly。 Save； perhaps； our own Senator John Sherman； I
have never heard so USEFUL a speaker on fundamental questions of
public business。 As to the representatives； there were many well
worth listening to； but the two who attracted most attention were
Richter； the head of the 〃Progressist；〃 or； as we should call it；
the radical fraction； and Bebel； the main representative of the
Socialists。 Richter I had heard more than once in my old days；
and had been impressed by his extensive knowledge of imperial
finance； his wit and humor； his skill in making his points； and
his strength in enforcing them。 He was among the few still
remaining after my long absence； and it was clear to me that he
had not deteriorated；that he had； indeed； mellowed in a way
which made him even more interesting than formerly。 As to Bebel；
though generally disappointing at first； he was quite sure； in
every speech； to raise some point which put the conservatives on
their mettle。 His strongest characteristic seems to be his
earnestness： the earnestness of a man who has himself known what
the hardest struggle for existence is； and what it means to
suffer for his opinions。 His weakest point seems to be a tendency
to exaggeration which provokes distrust； but； despite this； he
has been a potent force as an irritant in drawing attention to
the needs of the working…classes； and so in promoting that steady
uplifting of their condition and prospects which is one of the
most striking achievements of modern Germany。
Among the many other members interesting on various accounts was
one to whom both Germans and Americans might well listen with
respectHerr Theodor Barth； editor of 〃Die Nation；〃 a
representative of the best traditions of the old National Liberal
party。 He seemed to me one of the very few Germans who really
understood the United States。 He had visited America more than
once； and had remained long enough to get in touch with various
leaders of American thought； and to penetrate below the mere
surface of public affairs。 Devoted as he was to his own
fatherland； he seemed to feel intuitively the importance to both
countries of accentuating permanent points of agreement rather
than transient points of difference； hence it was that in his
paper he steadily did us justice； and in Parliament was sure to
repel any unmerited assault upon our national character and
policy。 He was clear and forcible； with； at times； a most
effectively caustic utterance against unreason。
While the whole parliamentary body is suggestive to an American；
the Parliament building is especially suggestive to a New…Yorker。
This great edifice at Berlin is considerably larger on the ground