The Indianapolis journal., 1893-11-12
He Has Learned More About the Sand
wich Islands in Eight Months than
Mr.. Pratt in Thirty Years.
TALKS WITH CONGRESSMEN
Views of Senator Morgan, Repre-
sentative Hit and Others.
Minister Stevens Says Gresham's Party
Prejudices and AnimOsities Influ-
enced His Action.

WASHINGTON, Nov u.-James Hyde
Pratt, of Albany, is in the city. There is a
family relationship between President Cleve-
land and Mr.. Pratt, Mr.. Clevelands grand
father having been brother to his mother.
Mr.. Pratt had a previous acquaintance with
Mr.. Cleveland, having often seen him while
he was at Albany as Governor of New
York. The latter gentleman also has fam
lily relationship in the Hawaiian islands and
feels very much exercised at the policy to-
wards the islands enunciated in Secretary
Gresham's letter. He drove out to Woodley
this afternoon and had a half hours talk
with the President on the subject AS q
result of the talk he learned that Mr. Cleve-
land approves thoroughly and wholly Secre-
tary Gresham's letter and all that is con-
tanned in it. Mr.. Pratt has lived much in
the islands and does not at all agree with
Secretary Gresham's ideas or with his belief
as to the facts of the case. He stated to
the President that Mr.. Gresham's letter read
to him like special plea of an advocate
for his cause. He said his statement that
the deposition of Queen Liliuokalani was ac-
complished by aliens was sufficient to dis
credit the whole letter to his mind for he
had knowledge that most of the leaders of
the revolution were Hawaiian born, and the
parents Of many of them were Hawaiian
born, though of foreign parents. He urged
also that the best natives approved of the
present government and only the disorderly
element among them desired it's overthrow.
Mr.. Pratt stated to the President his be-
lief that in order to re-establish Queen
Liiukolani upon the throne it will he nee
essary to disarm every white man in the
islands. He did not believe the Queen
without the influence of the armed force
or authority~ of the United States. The
present government, he argued, was in
possession of all the arms and resources
of authority of the island government; had
it's forces well organized and disciplined
and was able to maintain itself against all
internal disturbances. He then questioned
the accuracy of the statement that Minis
ter Stevens and Captain Witse had been
instrumental in serving the revolutionists
and that the success of the revolution was
dependent upon the aid they rendered it.
They did more, he asserted, than had been
authorized by Secretary Bayard to Min
lister Merrill in July, 1887. for guidance in
q similar period of disorder.
At this point the President asked Mr..
Pratt whether he thought he had as good
opportunities of information on the subject
as he (the President had after a careful
investigation and study OF the subject for
eight months. Mr.. Pratt rejoined that he
had been in intimate relations, by corre-
spondence and otherwise, with the islands
for over thirty years. The President
closed the interview by saying that he
had absolute faith in the accuracy of all
conclusions drawn by Secretary Gresham,
and that Minister Stevens and Captain
Wiltse had committed an act of usurpa-
ton and done wrong to helpless power
which it was the duty OF the United States
government to undo. Mr.. Pratt consented
to relate the substance of his interview
with President Cleveland for publication by
the Associated Press as detailed above.