The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-07
Senators Handle the Administration
Without Gloves.
THE PRESIDENTS SIDE TAKEN BY
THE VALIANT MILLS.

matte P1rate and Buccaneer4 with
Strong Resemblance to Cato-The Res
olution Adopted in the Senate-The
ington News.
Washington, December 6.-Senator
ton relating to Hawaii was laid before
the Senate today, and the author pro-
ceeded to attack vigorously the course
pursued by the administration.
Mr.. Mills of Texas, opposed the resolu-
tion. He spoke of charging the President
with meditating an act of war. He
denied the statement and asserted that
the Executive hadsrespectfully submitted
the question to Congress and given Con-
gress the information at his disposal,
such as he thought it appropriate to
submit. The Presidents action was
strictly confined within the limits of ex-
ecutive authority. The only question
was: "Did the government of the United
States interfere to overthrow the govern
ment of Hawaii" If it did it was the
duty of the President of the
United States to make prompt
restitution and reinstate the government
it had overthrown. Mr.. Mills spoke of
the picture presented in the overthrow
of the Hawaiian government, the Ameri-
can Republic, power able to cope with
all the nations of the earth, standing
with guns shotted and turned upon the
palace of poor, half-savage, half-civil-
lied queen. Why had the American min
lister been constantly informing the gov
ernment about the desirability of the
Hawaiian islands and about the value of
their sugar production? Cato returning
from Carthage displayed to the Roman
Senate some Carthaginian figs and de-
manded the destruction of Carthage.
Carthage must fall because she pro-
duced fine figs which the Romans want
ed. So the Hawaiian islands should
change theta government because the su-
gar planters of Hawaii wanted to obtain
bounty on sugar to be paid them out
of the pockets of American citizens.
Mr.. Frye reminded Mr. Mills that the
representatives Of Hawaii were entirely
willing to have inserted in the treaty a
provision that no bounty should be paid
on Hawaiian sugar.
Mr. Mills replied that no such provis-
ion had been inserted in the treaty. Min
lister Stevens had acted in the spirit of
pirate and buccaneer. 1t would be cred
liable to the people andthe government
of the United States to render Justice to
that poor, weak, feeble people. It was
not In the Presidents power, Mr.. Mills
said, to wage war against Hawaii. He
had not claimed it was. Whatever pow
er the President had in his hands, he ex-
ercised. He had said the government
had been overthrown by the forces of
the United States and had taken down
the flag and brought it where it belonged,
to the deck of an American vessel. He
had removed the marines to their places
on board their ships. He had said the
Queen was the rightful sovereign, lille
gally deposed by an armed power, WELD
ed at the instance of the minister of the
United States. The Presidents action
reflected, Mr.. Mills did not doubt, the
sentiment of all the honorable people of
the United States. The absorption of
these islands by the United States was,
perhaps, only a question of time, but he
hoped it would be done decently and in
order. If the people of the United
States had been sincere in their declara-
ton of the right of self-government.t they
would disclalm the action of their minis
government they had overthrown in Ha-
waii.
Mr.. Villas of Wisconsin, desired that
everything asked for in the resolution
and much more-should be furnished
But the President, in his message, said
additional advices where now expected
and would be promptly sent to Congress.
Mr.. Villas thought it more dignified for
the Senate to defer making the request
of the Pre- ident. Mr.. Villas asked Mr..
Hoar whether the landing of the marines
in Honolulu was not an act of war;
Mr.. Hoar replied that there was no
pretence that an act of war or force was
exercised The marines landed on the
allegation that they were TO protect the
lives and property of American citizens.
Even if it was true that twelve months
ago some official Of the United States in
violation of right and international law
had done something by which the gov
ernment of Hawaii was overthrown and
new government established, if that
new government was recognized by the
United States and the President sent a
"Good and Great Brother" it was an act
Of infamy for the President to send an
inquiry by. the. same messenger as to
what was done in the past and instruct
him to overthrow that government.
Mr.. Villas again asked Mr.. Hoar
whether, II United States troops had
been landed and aided, directly or in
directly, in tho revolution that was not
the commission of an act of war.
Mr.. Hoar replied that would depend
upon whether the act was authorized by
the government. Even in that case, he
would not concede it to be the. duty of
the United States, six months after
wards, to overthrow the existing condi-
tion of things.
Mr.. Villas asserted for what the Presi-
dent had done, and for what he had in
structed his minister to do, he had
ample and perfect authority.
MIR. Hill Of New York and Mr.. Sherman
favored the passage of the resolution.
Whether Mr.. Stevens was justified in
what he did, Mr.. Sherman said, he was
not prepared to say, nor would he de-
eide that question until he had the full
est and fairest opportunity of examining
what could be said on both sides of the
question. Mr.. Sherman said if it was the
purpose of the President, by the use of
military force, to restore the Queen
il would be fatal act of public policy,
a great injustice to the people of the
United States and almost an insult to
Congress. If it should so happen, con-
L