Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-07
TALKED ABOUT HAWAII.
The Senate Asks the President
For Information.
OPPOSITION TO THE TARIFF BILL.
Democrats Who Do Not Like 1t VIII At
tempt to Call a Caucus - Senator Hill
CrItIcIses the President--Senator Mills
Defends HIm-MeIIo Ran Away.

Democrats Who Do Not Like 1t VIII At
tempt to Call q Caucus Senator Hill
CrItIcIses the President--Senator Mills
Defends Him-MeIIo Ran Away.
WASHINGTON, Dec. THE session of the
Ienate was largely occupied by spirited
debate on the Hawaiian question, which
resulted in the passage of a resolution ask
ing for the papers in the ease.
The resolution offered by Mr.. IIoar re-
Suesting the president $50 far as in his opin-
ion is not inconsistent " it'll the public inter
est to communicate to the senate copies of
all instructions given to any representative
or any naval officer of the United States
since March 4, 1881, in regard to Hawaii,
was laid before the senate by the vice presi-
dent. Mr.. HOar said it was resolution
such as the senate rarely hesitated to pass
ON the request of any member of the body.
Senator Mills followed Senator Hoar and
defended the president Mr.. Mills opposed
the resolution. 1t called for information,
but meanwhile the author. Mr.. Hoar pro-
ceeded to ''shell the woods" before he got
that information and charged the president
with meditating an act of war. He (Mills)
denied the statement. On the contrary,
the executive had respectfully submitted
the question to congress and had given
them all the information at his disposal
that he thought appropriate to submit in
his message.
The presidents action in the matter had
been strictly confined within the limits of
executive authority. Senator Hill created
sensation by making perhaps the strong
est speech of his senatorial career. He
challenged the right of the president to use
military force to restore the Hawaiian
queen.
Hill on the Hawaiian Matter.
Mr.. Hill said he did not propose to cross
the Hawaiian bridge till he reached it, nor
did he intend to discuss the wisdom of the
original procedure or of what had been
done recently by the present administra-
ton. He did not understand that that
question was involved in the resolution.
He seldom agreed, he said, with what the
senator from Massachusetts stated, but he
did agree with him that this was simple
resolution asking for information from a
department of the government in refer
ence to most important matter-infor
nation which he thought the American
people wanted to know from the preSi-
dents message and were disappointed
when 1t was not given to them.
The question as to what had been done
was the point involved. When congress
! ascertained what instructions had been
given and what the true situation was a.
the commencement of the difficulty, it
could determine what it should do
Mr.. Hill said he had no reflections to
cast upon the preceding or the present adj
ministration and no unkind word to say in
reference to the previous or present minis
ter to Hawaii. There was a disputed state
of facts as to what actually took place when
the government of Hawaii was overthrown,
and it might be that congress in its wis
dom should see fit to send a commission to
the country to investigate and report as to
the facts
1t had keen said. continued Mr.. Hill
that instructions had been given-he did
not say SO, however, and he hoped it was
not true-from which it was inferred that
force might be used to restore the previ-
ously existing status.
That brought up the question whether
the administration had the power, without
the consent of congress, to use the army or
navy to restore the previously existing
condition Of affairs, even conceding that
the government had been planted by fraud
or even by force. There were three depart
ments of the government, and the execu-
tive depart ment was but one of them. Con-
gress wanted information because it was
entitled to it. Under the resolution the
president might withhold the information
} if he desired
j 5ASter some further discussion Mr.. Call
/ of florida closed the debate, and then the
resolution was adopted without division
/ After a short executive session the senate
adjourned.
{ Senator Gray of Delaware "A member of
/ the senate committee on foreign relations,
! will, it is believed, speak for the admins
/ tratlon in the coming contest over the sub
ject in the senate. 1t is believed that he is
/ being equipped with all the data in the
4 possession of the state department and
! with the ideas on which the president and
secretary of state have proceeded.
In the House.
In the house Mr.. Grosvenur asked unau-
/ imous consent for the consideration of !,
resolution directing the secretary of the
! interior to furnish the grounds upon which
/ some 1890 Ohio pensioners We're suspend
! ed from the rolls prior to July /. 1t WAS
/ referred to he committee ON pensions
Mr.. Meyer called up the resolution pro
viding for the appointment of "A special
Joint commission. consisting of three mem
hers each Of the house and senate. to inves
! uGate all questions relating to the rank
paw and personnel of the navy The vote
on the resolution was 60 to g and a roll
/ IL NXaS in roro,rrass h. ,or,