The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-19
DELAY WAS A MISTAKE
CLEVELAND ERRED IN HIS HA,
WAIIAN POLICY.
An Important Interview with Secretary
Gresham Perturbation at the
White House.

WASHINGTON, April S.-Presdent
Cleveland means to annex the Hawaii
an Islands. There seems now to be
but little doubt that the mind of the
executive has ut last been made up to
this, or, if he does not mean to add
the dominions of the late Queen to the
territory Of the United States, he at
least proposes to see that no other
power steps in and puCks the pear
that has all but fallen into the lap of
Uncle Sam.
When the first news was received
here of the arrival of Commissioner
Blount at Honolulu it was said at the
State Department by no less person
than Secretary Walter Q. Gresham that
the article forwarded by the special
Commissioner were of no moment
whatever, merely being to the effect
that Mr.. Blount had reached the scenes
of his labor and had been well received
by the Hawalians.
"Therc was really no time" said
Secretary Gresham to those who inter
lrogated him upon the subject, "for Mr..
Blount to ascertain anything of value
to the department in the brief space
elapsing between the arrival of the
Rush and of the sailing Of the Australia
for San Francisco"
Secretary Gresham is new in diplo
macy, but 1t is quite clear that he is an
lapt pupil in the science, as the science
of diplomacy consists in telling nothing
in way that will lead the person in
formed to believe that you have really
told all that you know.
| The friends of Mr. Blount here-and
he has many-know the gentleman to
| be a remarkably shrewd observer, and
moreover, they know him to be man
who does not require great study to de-
, termine point that is presented to him.
In other words, Mr. Blount is a gentle.
man of great grasp of mind and a re,
markably rapid thinker.
Events that happened at the State
Department to-day show that Mr..
Blounts friends have not been mis-.
taken in the estimate that they have
placed upon his ability, and they show
moreover, the talent for diplomacy
possessed by Mr.. Clevelands Secretary
} of State. For Mr. B,ount did conve,
more to the State Department by thu
Australia than the mere information o
his own safe arrival at Honolulu. HI
conveyed so much that the Presiden
and his chief Of Cabinet have beer
considerably worried lest their policy o
) delay should have been a mistake afte
all, and that there have been severa
anxious consultations in the White
House relative to the ratification 0
the error now generally believed to have
been committed when the treaty o
annexation negotiated by SECRETARY
Foster was withdrawn by the presen
administration.
What is the nature of this advice
conveyed by Commissioner Blount tC
his chief So far, that is a score
known only in the White House and il
{ the State Department. 1t is quite
clear that Commissioner Blount, ha!
seen something to alarm in the quie
that broods over Waikiki, and that this
something has been sufficient also tc
Justify alarming the men who sent him
out. What it is, of course, can only be
conjectured, but gossip here has it that
it is the menace that England will back
Japan in case the Mikado sees fit to