The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-08-11

SOME CLEAR LioHr ON ISLAND
AFFAIRS
The Hawaiian Commissioner Mmgles
News with History and Argu-
ment A Good Talk

l.. NJ. Walsh, commissioner from
the Hawaiian Islands to the Worlds
fair, has been interviewed at length by
the Portland lMc) EueFiEg Express
Mr. Walsh told the story OF the revolu.
ton and the causes leading up to 1t,
and then had this to say about Nord
hod and Spreckels
About the middle Of March the New
York Herald, whose policy is against
annexation, sent a Mr.. Nordhoh to the
Islands ! happened TO be on the
steamer that took him to the Islands,
and had several conversations with
him lie had been to the Islands
about twenty years before, but could
not realize the progress they had made
during his absence. He represented
paper opposed to annexation, and so
naturally was opposed to it himself,
and seemed very bitterly so. His con.
yersation showed that be had made up
his mind as to the origin of the revolu-
ton, and knew all about it without
having been in Honolulu. | remember
that he said on the steamer that the
raising of the American flag was an
outrage, and he hoped that Mr.. Blount
would pull It down. When the pilot
brought us word that the flag had been
taken down he expressed himself as
being glad of it, and his daughter, who
was with him, jumped up, clapped her
hands for JOY and cried good, good"
On his way down he wrote a letter to
the New York Herald giving an ac-
count of the situation, and posted it
four hours after his arrival in Honolulu
His letter was such a tissue of false
hoods and libels upon the Government
that they cited him to appear before
them and explain the matter. This
frightened him, and he sought refuge
in the United States legation. Mr..
Blount, taking the Cutting case for a
precedent, offered him the protection
of the legation. Secretary Gresham
did not uphold Mr.. Blounts action, as
the libel had been committed in Ho-
nolulu, and was not, as Mr.. Blount
and Mr. Nordhof contended, similar
to the Cutting case.
Thereupon Mr.. Nordhoff returned
to this country and is still writing his
libels and falsehoods about the Provs-
ional Government and the Hawaiian
Islands.
His recent statement that the Pro,
visional Government is bankrupt is
utterly false, as is his statement that the
planters and others are refusing to pay
their taxes. There have been many
falsehoods told about the Provisional
Government and the Reinforcement of
the Queen. 1t has been said that the
planters and Claus Spreckels had con
spired to have the Islands annexed to
the United States. As matter Of fact
it would be for the interest Of the
planters to have protectorate rather
than annexation. They now have
cheap contract labor which they could
not have under annexation, because OF
the alien contract labor law. Mr.
Spreckels went to the islands a few
months ago and called meeting o
the planters and presented to them ;
proposition to have an independent
form of Government, under Unite {
States protectorate, in order to ALLOW
the planters to have cheap contrac
labor. This the planters were toe
patriotic to agree to. They felt thel
would rather have stable Government
than the oligarchy such as Mr., Spreck
els proposed This angered Mr.
Spreckels, especially when he founC
that the Provisional Government woulc
not agree to his scheme, and he de
manded that they pay his indebted
ness, which amounted to $4,000
This he supposed would embarrass tn,
Government, but they paid the claim
at once.
The white intelligent business mer
of the Hawaiian Islands are almost t.
a unit in favor of annexation. The
advantages to the United States of sucl
a union have been told over and owe
again, and | need not repeat them. Mr.
Cleveland's policy of delay has caused
an uncertainty in the Islands which
gives opportunity to conspirators ant
Plotters; therefore, the longer the della,
the more the complications that ar
likely to arise. The present policy o
the United States seems to be not t
allow any other power to control tn
destiny of the Islands and not to ASSUME
any responsibility itself. This canno
possibly last long, because the feeling
engendered by the present conflict i
growing in bitterness, and in the futur
the government will have to be admin
istered by some strong power.