New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-05
" a VIGOROUSLY self-assertive and overbearing

President Clevelands treatment Of the Ha-
waan question is on its face, an aVoweu oeo-
Iaraton of contempt for the wishes ana opih-
ions of the Senate the coordinate treaty-making
branch of the Government. He scarcely deishs
10 anticipate the natural demand sure 10 DE
made for information about the intentions anu
purposes of the Executive In the execution Vi
its proposed programme Of monarchicai res'oia-
ton in Hawaii. In few curt sentences NV
bare facts of the programme are s'aueu' anu
the bold announcement is made that it has
seemed to the Administration that tine Only
honorable course for our Government to pursue
was to undo the wrong that had been zone
by those representing u.s. and to restore az far
practicable. the status existing at the uIle
Of our forcible intervention"
CONGRESS MUST WAIT.
This Is simply reinstatement afiirmauvely OF
the question put by Secretary Gresham IN MS
memorandum to the President, published Tour
weeks ago, and throws no more real light on
the tortuous processes by which the Admins
tration has evolved the power to make war upon
a friendly recognized government and oVerturh
its legitimate authority to restore deposed
Queen than did the Quixotic argument of Cen
eral Gresham's astonishing brief with view
Of accomplishing this result within the constl-
tutional limits of Executive power continues
the President, land recognizing all our oblga-
lions and responsibilities growing out of changed
conditions brought about by our unJusufaoe
interference, our present Minister has received
appropriate instructions to that end As no
information of the success Of his efforts to re-
store the Queen has come, Congress is practi-
cally told 10 dismiss all thought Of the la
waiian question until the expected news arrives,
and it is no longer within the power of the leg
isative branch to negative or modify the Ad-
ministration's unpopular and un-Amerlcan pro-
gramme. special message will be sent TO
Congress- the President calmly suggests, when
the Queens difficulties have all been solved.
Meanwhile Congress and the country can either
stop guessing at what is going on in Hawaii or
guess again.
That so decided an Endorsement of Secretary
Gresham's prejudced and discredited policy
should have been ventured upon in the annual
message naturally excited the indignation OF
the many Democrats in Congress who still chung
to sound American traditions in the conduct
of foreign affairs, and few could be found IN
either branch who would go the length OF de-
Tending either the matter or the manner of the
brief paragraphs which contained all that the
Administration cared to say in defence of its
proposed violation of Hawaiian sovereignty.
Democrats in the House were equally reticent,
as a rule. in defending Mr.. Cevelands antici-
patory approval of clauses of the Wilson bill
which have as yet no actual or official existence
The members Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee according to their own statements had
not vet agreed upon the revenue or income
tax portions of the Wilson bill when the mes
sage reached the House, and they were natu-
rally shocked to find the Executive approving
beforehand work which the committee had not
done or might not do.
THE PRESIDENTS UNTENABLE POSITION.
Complaint enough was made in the House
last August that the Administration was as
Stunning all the functions of the Legislative
branch in the passage Of the wilson SILVER
Purchase BILL The President had then only
recommended a general line Of legislation but
now. to the surprise Of Democrats in Congress-
he was actually arranging in advance the de-
tails of a complicated revenue bill. No Presi-
dent heretofore. 1t is safe to say, has ever put
himself in such an untenable position as APP
proving items in complex measure WINCH 10
the public knowledge, has not yet seen the light
even of a Congressional committee room.
An unpleasant significance was also attached
nv manv Democratic leaders to the Presidents
plain intimation that no further financial legis-
lation is desirable from this Congress Reason
able delay" he says, instead Of being injurious
will increase the probability of wise action.
This recommendation is Of course highly un-
palatable TO the chairman Of the Finance Com
mittee of the Senate and his fellow Democrats
who for three months insisted that the repeal OF
the purchase clause Of the Sherman act was
but a first step forward in a great programme
of financial legislation which would include as
it's chief features the renewed use Of silver and
the abolition of the 10 per cent tax on state
bank issues But the Voorhees, programme as
the free silver Democrats predicted. If the Pres-
dents hint is to be taken at face value is likely
to prove for the rest Of this Congress an fri
descent dream"
SOME OPINIONS OF THE MESSAGE.
Some opinions on the message from public
men of both parties follow:
Mr. Wilson Dem. W. Va). chairman of the
Ways and Means Committed consider it very
fair and business-like review Of all the public ques-
lions on which the President is called upon to adj
dress the people Of the country. l am especially
pleased at what he says on the tariff question.
Mr.. McCreary Dem, Ky), chairman of the
House Committee Foreign Affairs-An able and
appropriate message 1t contains much valuable
information He presents foreign affairs. the none
tary question and the tariff with great ability.
regard the message as Of the strongest he
has ever sent the House Of Representatives. His
utterances on the Hawaiian question are not as
full as so persons expected but nave conn
dence In his judgment and ability, and hope for a
satisfactory adjustment of the Hawaiian affairs.
Mr.. Dalzell (Rep, Penn)-The Presidents views
on the tariff seem be the line heretofore laid
down by him. He thinks protective tariff In
yariaby increases the cost to the consumer. We
know that such is not the case under the opera
tions of the Mckinley law. fact that would nave
been apparent TO the President If he lad seen fit
10 read the testimony taken before the Ways and
Means Committee. OF course. as was to be ex-
pected he is still after the markets of the world
a very desirable thing If present conditions con-
tinue because there won't be any market at home
or any money to spend in it. The most astonish-
ing thing In the message Is that an income tax
has been agreed upon That's news. 1 happen to
be a member Of the minority Of the Ways and
Means Committee. but 1t is the first time knew