The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER

Neither President Cleveland nor
Secretary Gresham nave any apologies
to make for the action of Commission
er Blount in carrying out his instruct
tions, declaring the protectorate pro-
claimed by Minister Stevens, without
a shadow of legality or authority, at
an end, and in Withdrawing the pro-
lection of the U. S. flag and marines
from the provisional Government Of
Hawaii And the attempt of a few
republicans to use the incident as a
means to create bad blood between
members of the two parties has fallen
very flat, as far as Washington is con-
cerned. There is no politics in the
matter. 1t was simply question of
righting wrong which was officially
acknowledged to be wrong by the
Harrison administration but was not
righted then, as it should have been.
If the provisional government of Ha-
waii is not strong enough to maintain
itself without the United States it is
not strong enough to be recognized in
any negotiation looking to annexation
or any other settlement of the present
problem. What has been done is
neither tor nor against annexation, in
fact, has no bearing whatever upon it.
1t is simply step towards doing the
right thing, as soon as the right thing
shall become apparent. Meanwhile
the administration is fully determined
that no other nation shall interfere
with Hawaiian affairs.
Senator Butler, OF South Carolina,
scored point, as he usually does
whenever an opportunity is given him,
when Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts,
offered an entirely needless resolution,
directing the Secretary of State to in.
form the Senate by whose authority
the American flag was hauled down at
Honolulu, by offering an amendment
adding the words land also by whose
authority the same was hoisted." Mr..
Lodge knew that the President was
responsible for lowering the flag, and
the resolution was only offered for
buncomb.
Secretary Hoke Smith is in Georgia
attending to some pressing private
business. He will return to his desk
this week.
Extraordinary efforts are being
made by republicans to put the demo-
cratic Senators in false position be-
fore the country in regard to the pro-
posal to investigate Senator Roach's
connection with an alleged bank en-
bezzlement fourteen years ago. The
republicans wish it to appear that the
democrats refused to allow the investi-
cation because of their wish to pro-
tect Mr.. Roach. No such conclusion
can be reached, except by willful
distortion of the facts. Senator Roach
has from the first personally desired
that the investigation be made, as he
manfully told the Senate last week; he
has asked no protection, and what is
more to the point, he wants no pro-
lection. The opposition of the dem
ocratic Senators to this or any other
investigation of events in a Senator'S
life before he became a Senator is
based upon the highest authority ir
the land--the Constitution of the u
S., and it is mighty small business fol
anybody to try to make it appear
otherwise, but then, you know, small
business is second nature with some
people.
The first instalment of the investi
cation OF the Weather Bureau ha
been completed, and the immediate
results will be the dismissal o
minor officials for their inability to dis
tinguish the difference between thei
own property and that of Uncle Sam
and the final results may be stripe'
suits for them. The second install
ment, which deals with bigger fish
will be started this week, and it is ey
pected that it will result in shown
that the big officials regarded the pc
sltions under the Bureau in about tn
same light that the minor officials re
garded the property of the Bureau.
President Cleveland told Senate
Saturday just before the extra sessio
of the Senate adjourned that he had nc
taken up the question of the appoin
ment of a Public Printer yet, but e,
pected to do SO very shortly. Ther
Is no lack of candidates and the mos
of them are men whose reputation
are such that it will be extremely diff