The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-04-20
THE SITUATION IN HAWAII.
Commissioner BlOunt Acted Under
u Definite Instructions
IN HAULING DOWN THE Us. FLAG.
u was . Part of the Program I'm Case
Peace Prevailed - The Protectorate
was simply a Precautionary Measure
The Future Policy.

WASHINGTON, April 20.-The statement
purporting to come from Commissioner
Blount that the hauling down of the
American flag was only the first part of
the Hawaiian programme Is causing con
siderable speculation in diplomatic and
political circles as 20 what will be the Sc
quel 1t is intimated in certain quarters
that it Is the intention of the president to
restore the queen to her throne. This idea
is trsceable to the fact that the President
and Mrs. Cleveland having received the
princess, who came here from London to
lay her claims to the throne by presump-
tive right before the president, technically
committed this government to consider
alton of her position The princess and
her father left the American capital with
that idea
Dominant In Their Minds.
II is asserted at the department of state
that the character of the audience granted
Ia the princess was a subject of purely in
formal arrangement, that the princess was
90 specifically informed and accepted the
accorded interview on those conditions.
Therefore, this interview had no bearing
whatever on the main question. Presi-
dent Cleveland, however, made up his
mind at that time, and so informed the
secretary of state that he proposed to as
certain the exact condition of affairs on
the islands before any further steps were
taken in this important matter.
In the conference which Mr.. Blount had
with the president on the eve oi his de-
parture the question of restoring the statu
quo was discussed. The understanding
then was that il the conditions on the ISL
and were peaceful and satisfactory and
there was no danger of an interference on
the part of any foreign power or uprising
of the people which would endanger the
Lives and property Of American citizens,
The Flag should He Taken Down,
and the marines should return to their
ships This was not intended by this
government to be An unfriendly act nor to
commit the United States in any manner
against annexation, but simply to place
the conditions as they were before Minister
Stevens hoisted the flag and called upoa
the American admiral for support.
The president and Secretary Gresham re-
garded this act as designed simply as a
precautionary measure in order to give the
provisional government such moral sup.
port as would enable IL to prevent dis
orders, as well as notification to foreign
powers that interference from them would
not be tolerated. Commissioner Blount
has no authority In his instructions to go
beyond the point of dissolving the protec-
torate preparatory to more comprehensive
negotiations.
Some surprise has been expressed among
the members of the foreign relations com
mittee at the language employed by the
president In his letter to Provisional Pres
ident Dole that the authority of Commits
sioner Blount was paramount to all other
American authority on the island in thus
superseding the United States minister.
The senators say that the president ex-
ceeded his authority. as no no official APP
pointed by the president as his personal
representative, without the consent Of the
senate, can exercise any such exclusive
pyerogative. II any complications should
arise through the action OF Commissioner
Blount, under the orders of the president,
the senate will take cognizance of this
question. It can be stated that whatever
is done will be under the immediate direc-
tion of the president.