The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-11-23
MIR. DAVIS ELUCIDATEs.
The Minnesota Senator Talks About the
Hawaiian MuddIe.

The Minnesota Senator Talks About the
Hawaiian Muddle.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. a3.-The Tribune
publishes long interview with United
States Senator Cushman K. Davis on
the Hawaiian situation. The distin-
guished member of the senate committee
ON foreign relations readily acquiesced,
and seating himself in an easy chair,
dictated for nearly an hour to the re-
porter.
After giving history of the islands
from the beginning of the century, in
cluding former attempt at annexation,
up to year ago Mr.. Davis said:
shortly before the deposition of the
queen one year ago, serious questions
arose between her and her cabinet,
whereupon she attempted to change the
constitution of the country in respects
thought 10 be inirnical to free constitu-
tional government. Thereupon some of
her white subjects, mostly, if not all,
descendants of the early United States
colonists, formed committee of public
safety and then provisional govern
ment, and compelled her to sign an act
of abdication.
The Point of Difference.
Right there difference of version
exists, Mr.. Stevens, our minister under
the Harrison administration, asserts that
he did none of the acts which are charged
: against him In Mr.. Blount's report until
the institution of the provisional govern
ment had been fully consummated.
ION the other hand, Mr.. Blount as
serts that this body of marines was sent
ashore as part and parcel of the plot to
overthrow the government. Imme-
diately after the provisional government
was established it sent to Washington
certain of its representatives with full
power 10 treat for annexation, and the
result was treaty between the United
States and Hawaii, providing for such
annexation. This was in the closing
months of President Harrison's admins
tration and was under consideration by
the senate when Mr.. Cleveland was in
augurated. One of the first acts Of
President Cleveland was to withdraw
that treaty from the consideration of the
senate, sending Mr.. Blount to Honolulu
to investigate and report, the recall of
Mr.. Stevens (which was matter of
course upon change of administration,
and the appointment of Mr.. Willis al
his successor as minister.
Conducted with Mystery.
''The whole business has been con-
Quoted with deal OF mystery by the
present administration. It is only within
day or two that the public has been
allowed to know what Mr.. Blount did or
reported, and does not yet know what
Mr.. Willis instructions were or what
he has done. III the surmise lis correct
that Mr.. Willis has been commissioned
to interfere with the concerns of Hawaii
10 such an extent as to change the form
of government and reinstate the queen,
it is an interference with the affairs of
an independent nation without the least
shadow of warrant or any principle of
international law.
"This was the more so" continued the
senator, "because the new government
in Hawaii had been recognized by the
Harrison administration, and was also
distinctly recognized by President Cleve-
land when he commissioned Mr.. Willis
as minister, accrediting him to President
Dole and to whom Mr.. Willis presented
his credentials, and from whom he re-
ceived his recognition as minister There
have been all sorts of rumors that Min
lister Willis has been directed by the
present administration to use the naval
force of tha United States tn ra;ust q 70
the queen in case President Dole refuses
] to dispose himself and his gov
ernment IN her favor. This is probably
mere newspaper invention. | can not
believe that theresls any foundation for
i It. Such an act would go far beyond
j the unWarrantable interference I have