St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-16
Ex-Congressman Blount Has
Left Washington for the
Hawaiian Islands.
He Goes to Make a Thorough
Investigation Of the
Situation. @
RevolutiOniSts Visit the Unit
ed States More Than a
Year Ago. iow
Republican Senators Com
plete Their List Of Com
mittee Assignments.

WASHINGTON, March l5.-EX- Repre-
sentative Blount, of Georgia, left Wash
ington last night for San Francisco, ac-
companied by Ellis Mills, a confidential
stenographer or the state department.
He is, it is confidently asserted,
bound for Honolulu on secret mission,
an appointment which required no con-
firmatiOn by the senate. The Sc
lection of Mr.. Blount for this mis-
sion indicates that Mr.. Cleveland
is not yet satisfied that Hawaii
should be annexed to the United States,
but has not made up his mind to oppose
it. Mr.. Blount will make very thor
Ough investigation of the situation, and
the presidents future action on the sub
ject will probably be governed by his
report. As chairman of the foreign at
fairs committee when the matter first
came before the public, Mr.. Blount took
a very conservative position, refusing
to commit himself on the subject of an =
neXation without further information.
More than a year before the over
throw of the queen a delegation from
the Hawaiian legislature came to this
country without public announcement,
seeking some indication from this coun-
try of what support
The Revolutionary Party
might rely on il they should overthrow
the old government and establish pro-
visional government, as has been
done. The ultimate object, as they
then disclosed. was to secure an
nexation to this country, as they
did not hope Of success in the
permanent establishment of a new
government. Mr.. Blount was among
the few persons with whom they talked,
and he then refused to commit himself
to any plan of the sort. There is no
doubt that since the overthrow of the
queen he has had some suspicion that
this government may have encouraged
the revolution, and might possibly be
accused of having part in the eStab-
lishment of the new government OF the
islands with which we were asked to
treat.
The question of how to overthrow the
government was brought about, and
whether the provisional government
actually represents popular sentiment
will, il is understood, be thoroughly
investigated. First of all, the fact will
be established that this government.
pending the ratification of a treaty
giving the right to do so, will not inter-
fere in any way with the affairs of tine
islands, except, if need be, to defend
them from
Foreign EncrOachments,
the idea being that government claim
ing to represent the people of the
islands must be strong enough to main
tain itself il we are to treat with it. The
probability that we will do nothing to
maintain the provisional government
against any other government of the
people of Hawaii themselves, that might
be or seek to be established. But if it
is found that the provisional govern
ment is really the chosen government
of the islands and is not dependent
upon the support of the United States
for its existence, the proposition for
annexation may be favorably regarded
and an amended treaty may be sent to
the senate at the next session. How
ever, apart from other considerations,
the desirability of anneXing the islands
will be Investigated as business prop
oSition. 1t is said that the adminiStra.
ton early received information which
was deemed to be reliable. that
the overthrow of Queen Lillou-
kalani and the establishment q of
provisional government were
the result of plan formulated by the
sugar producing elements of the islands,
and which was furthered in San Fran
cisco. Upon receiving this information
the withdrawal of the treaty was deter
mined on.
Cipher dispatches went out last night
from. both the state and navy depart
nents for Honolulu, which Will go for
ward on the steamer Australia for San
Francisco today. What these dispatches
contain none of the officials in either
department will say.