The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-04-21
Mr.. Blount in Hawaii.

Mr. Blount in Hawaii.
From the New York Tribune.
Commissioner BlOunt has performed an
act in Hawaii which can be described in no
other way than as involving National hui
initiation. Fortunately for Mr.. Blount and
the administration he represents, his act of
hauling down the American flag from the
government building at Honolulu does not
render change of the situation there nee
essary or imminent. 1t has been supposed
in this country that Mr.. Blount was sent to
Hawaii as an investigator 1t was not sup
posed that he had been sent to rebuke and
humilate the American Minister who has
SO well guarded our interests there in the
presence of the people among whom his
duties have been performed. In this aspect
Mr.. Blount's act, If performed as a matter
of discretion, was disgraceful. All that was
necessary in order to render the relations of
the Hawaiian government with our govern
ment sufficiently independent for the pur-
poses of negotiation had been accomplished
by Secretary Fosters letter, indicating the
extent to which our protection could prop
erly be offered. For Mr.. Blount to go out
there, presenting himself as the Superior of
Minister Stevens, and for him to proceed
to disavow and undo the official acts of the
minister, pending at least, the final deter
mination by this administration of the main
question in relation to Hawaii, was spec
tacle of partisan politics that can but render
our nation contemplate in the eyes of the
world. Mr.. Cleveland's method of dealing
with the Hawaiian affair has been from the
first, open to serious criticism. We have
avoided saying anything about il, because
we have assumed that no intelligent and
patriotic American who studies the question
conscientiously and on whom is thrown the
responsibility of taking or rejecting such an
offer as has come to us, can fall sooner or
later, to see his duty as President Harrison
saw it, and on mere questions of method we
have felt that the new administration was
entitled to the largest latitude.
Unjust be apparent by this time, however,
that Mr.. Cleveland is pursuing a policy
fraught with great danger. The embassy
of Mr.. Blount was useless, no matter how
it is looked at; and conducted as he is con-
Quoting it, nothing but harm can result.
There was hO occasion to send him or any.
body else to Hawaii for information because
all the information that could possibly be
oh fol xxyoC af hnn
possessed, not merely the statements of the
Hawaiian commissioners who sought annex
alton, though it is known that those state
ments were in all respects complete and
exact, but it had also the views of the mon
archical party communicated by the Queens
representative and of the native element
communicated by one of themselves. Better
than all else, it had the official reports of
Minister Stevens and of our naval officers at
present and formerly stationed in Hawaii.
Beyond these there was no occasion to 20,
so that in the least doubtful phase of his
GRAND it was useless. 1t appears. however,
that he has been intrusted with power to do
things that may seriously affect the question
of annexation. Already he has succeeded
in embarrassing the progress of our interests.
Annexation Is matter which the President
is not entitled 10 decide without reference to
Congress, and 1t is not seemly proceeding
TO send out a commission instructed to en-
barrass the negotiation In advance of de-
cision on the part of the government in all
its branches as to the desirability of the al
Nance.
So far as Mr.. Blount's instructions and
purposes>can be judged from his acts, he
has gone to Hawaii to bring about failure
OF the annexation movement. He has given
the Hawaiians who accomplished the revo-
luton and who brought us an unconditional
offer of theislands with all their splendid re-
sources and present wealth to understand
that they are objects of suspicion. They
find that insult and distrust are the reward
of advancing American interests. On the
other hand, those who have opposed those
Interests, who have sought to promote the
interests Of another foreign power, or to give
over the islands again to superstition and
barbarism, find their hopes and plans sus-
tanned by the conduct of this American COM
missioner. Fortunately, it is unlikely that
this mlsshapen diplomacy will amount to
anything. No want of appreciation or of
patriotic impulse on Mr.. Cleveland's part
can in the end prevent the realization of the
natural destiny Of Hawaii. The interference
of another power In the affairs of that coun-
try would not be tolerated by the American
people or their Congress whatever might be
Mr.. Clevelands disposition, and the support
Of some power from beyond the sea Hawaii
is bound to obtain.