Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-14
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Interest Felt in How the Members Stand
on Hawaii
Senator MOrgan's Attitude Uncertain
His Previous Utterances on the
Administration's Policy.


condemnation of the policy of the President
in regard to the Hawaiian Islands be left
to the committee on foreign relations Of the
Senate there will be a good deal of search
ing light thrown upon the membership of
that body. 1t is composed of four republ-
cans and five democrats. These four re-
publicans, Senators Sherman, Frye, Dolph
and Davis, will be very apt to vote in favor
Of reputation of the policy of restora-
don. 1t is not altogether so certain that
all five of the majority wing of the commit
tee will vote to the other effect The demo-
Gratis are Senators Morgan, the chairman.
and Gray, Daniel, Butler and Turpie. Sena-
tor Gray has outlined his attitude already
so strongly that there is no possible doubt
as to his position. He will vote to support
the administration through thick and thin.
In this he is likely to be accompanied by
Senator Turpie.
AS to the position of the other three men,
bers of the committee there is some doubt.
All of them were arrayed against the Presi-
dent in the recent struggle on the repeal
of the silver bill. All of them showed great
bitterness In their denunciation of the
President for his tactics of interference.
Now they are brought face to face with an
entirely different question. that involves
their loyalty to their party. The trend of
opinion is that Senator Morgan is the least
apt to go to the aid of the President In this
matter.
Senator Morgan'a Peculiar Attitude.
Yet he is in a peculiar attitude. AS has
recently been recalled, he has expressed
himself very emphatically against the
theory of restoration, and later he has
qualified his first utterances, and has given
hint that he might reverse his original
Judgment. He sat silent in his seat yes
terday throughout the speeches on the more
personal phases of the question, and drank
in every word like a man who is eager for
iEforma ton. During Mr.. Frye's speech he
absorbed the statements of Mr.. Stevens
without the least sign OF what impression
was being made upon his mind. While Mr..
Vest was talking about the bigotry of New
England and the bloody flag, Mr.. Morgan
sat in front of him twirling a card between
his fingers with the air OF a man who is re-
volving a great problem in his mind. But
not word or sign did he allow to escape
him. The traditional clam could not have
been more inscrutable. 1t is probable that
he may feel that his position as chairman
Of this great committee will cause his ac-
tions to be scrutinized more closely, and
possibly he will support the President to
the last limit OF his patience on much the
same lines as those laid down by Mr. Vest
in his speech of yesterday. This position
seems destined to become popular in the
Senate 1t is a combination OF praise and
condemnation. 1t presumes that the Presi-
dent has done nothing that looks to the
restoration Of the queen beyond the mere
statement that In his opinion it ought to be
dcne thus bearing a moral force. Further
than this, says Mr.. Vest, and many other
Senators on the democratic side agree with
him, though they may not SO express them
selves openly. no self-respecting American
can go. 'ii4 >
Mr.. MOrgan's Utterances.
In this connection it may be interesting to
note the words of Senator Morgan on the
day of the first publication of Secretary
Greshams report to the President. Novem-
ber IL. twentyfour days after it was writ
ten. They are here reprinted verbatim:
Before expressing any opinion as to
what is the attitude Of the United States on
this question. and how far 1t is to be justi-
fled, would like to know to whom Minister
Willis was accredited when he was sent by
this government to the Hawaiian Islands
After the provisional government was es-
tablished there, the President of the Unit
ed States recognized it as the government
de uire by sending MIR. Blount to confer
with President Dole. While Mr. Blount
was there the troops were ordered back
and the flag of the United States flying over
the barracks where the troops were station
ed was hauled down. This merely indicated
to my mind, at least, that the biyouac of
the troops had been broken up and they
had returned to their quarters on Ship
| board. That act was not the withdrawal of
an intervention on the part of the United
States except for the preservation of the
peace and the protection of American citi-
zens on the islands.
Il never understood it was the assertion
| of sovereignty by the United States over
| the islands, and 1 cannot understand why
| the withdrawal of troops under such cir
cumstances could be construed as a with
drawai of the moral support of the United
states to the government existing there.
unless the United States had invaded Ha-
wall and assumed sovereign Jurisdiction.
which was not the case. The United States
| dld not intervene to establish a provisional
| government In Hawaii. 1t only intervened tO
preserve the peace and protect American
| citizens 1t withdrew the troops leaving
| the provisional government in full. peace
able and uninterrupted possession as the
| sovereign power of those islands To inter-
| fere now to reinstate the queen would un-
| der the circumstances, be simply the re-
establishment of a monarchy, without any
| other cause than the mere assertion of its
legitimacy compared with that Of the pro-
| visional government"