Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-22

Students Of diplomacy and plain American
citizens who are ordinarily careless as to diplo-
matte procedure are alike mystided by the
course Of the administration in the Hawaiian
matter From the beginning the management
has been strangely reconcile, secretive to an
extreme degree Those who possessed any in
formation worth having either maintained
unbroken silence or whispered systematically
OF possibilities that were and are highly i'm
probable. The appointment Of Mr.. Blount as
special commissioner was . surprise, and
although 1t was made some time ago it still sur
prises for there are but few who can figure out
the necessity for sending a special commits
s;oner" all the WAY to Hawaii. not merely to in
vestigate, but of paramount authority, when
there was and il in that country an American
minister whose business it is to conduct what
ever negotiations may be necessary between
the two countries IL Minister Stevens was
believed to be unfit for the responsible
position he occupies. he should have
been superseded at once; 1t would have been
infinitely better to have done that than to
humiliate him and, in a sense, the country he
represents, by transferring the powers which
he legally possesses to the keeping OF one
assailed. II the President is empowered to ap-
point a commissioner who shall outrank
minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordi-
nary why NAV he not do the same thing in the
case of an ambassador. and if he can do 1t once
vhy need the Sc ate's time be wasted in the
consideration Of nominations? IL the Presi-
dent can so appoint to meet an exigency whence
comes the power that shall prevent him from
imagining and declaring that the exlSeney
continues for four years? Such prerogative
smacks somexhat Of royalty. and of this hui
morously monarchical tendency there Is evil
dence in the letter by which the provisional
government was informed OF the PRESIDENTS
selection Of q representative. Speaking OF Mr.
Biount the President saws, after the true
imperial plural style: He Is well IN
formed Of our sincere desire to cultivate
and maintain to the fullest extent tire friend
ship which has so long subsisted between the
two countries" That, however. is a mere tribe.
a nngual lapsus to be expected of the con-
uueror of his own and of all other political
parties; the words to be considered are those
following Immediately after those quoted, land
in all matters affecting relations with the gov
eminent Of the Hawaiian Islands his authority
il paramount" The publication Of that letter
ought to have resulted in the immediate resig-
nation Of Minister Stevens, at least that is how
some people who are not supersensitive seem to
conclude.
President Cleveland's letter to his "great and
good friend" President Dole, broadly EN-
powers Mr. Blount to haul down the flag and
order the marines ahoat, to withdraw the
assistance and sympathy of the republic from
the existing government and to transfer them
to q monarchy, to do, in short, whatever Mr..
Blount pleases; and then having perhaps the
exercise Of these destructive powers in view
Mr. Cleveland says-and it sounds a good deal
like judge pronouncing sentence Of death
MAY God have your e1cellency in His wise
keeping"