Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-13
State Department Officials Preserve
an Impenetrable Silence.
NO LIGHT ON The HAWAIIAN POLICY.
Rumored Instructions That Were
Given to Minister Willis.
NO P CEDENT KNOWN.


light would be thrown today on the ad-
ministration policy towards Hawaii, espe-
cially with regard to Minister Willis in
structions for the overthrow of the pro-
visional government and the re-establish-
ment of the Kanaka queen. 1t was ru-
mored that Secretary Gresham would issue
statement making that point clear, but
he did not do so.
Secretary Gresham Late in Arriving.
He was very busy and remained in the
seclusion of his innermost sanctum nearly
all day. He did not reach the department
until 11:15 o'clock and it was rumored that
this unusual tardiness was due to an early
visit he had paid to the President at
"Woodley." The latter did not come into the
city today and no one at the State Depart-
ment would say where the Secretary had
spent the morning. A Star reporter caught
secretary Gresham about noon as he was
walking rapidly through the corridors from
prlef conference with Secretary Herbert
10 another with Secretary Lamont
L nave nothing whatever to say for pub
lication." said he. "and SO far as 1 know
notning In regard to the Hawaiian situa-
tlon Will be given out today"
officials Won't Talk.
The offcials of the State and Navy De-
partments maintain an impenetrable reserve
touching the Hawaiian matter Neyertbe-
less they showed a lively interest in the
news brought by the Pacific mail steamer
China. Secretary Gresham listened to the
reading Of the dispatch, but positively de-
clined to discuss it's contents. Secretary
Herbert was equally uncommunicatiye. I,
appears that the people in Hawaii were in
lsuorahce OF the intentions of this govern
ment up to the date of the sailing of the
steamer, Notwithstanding the fact that
Minister Willis had been three DAYS at his
pest. From the peculiar manner in which
the correspondent surmises were received
by persons in position to know the actual
program outlined for Minister Willis guild
ance rather than from any definite utter
ance there Is ground for suspicion that the
Hawaiians have not fathomed his real in
tentions. In fact there is some reason to
doubt whether Mr.. Willis was to present
even his credentials TO the provisional gov
erEment.
Direct Query Not Responded to.
A direct query propounded to the State
Department officials as to whether the
credentials were addressed to President
Dale or to the queen failed to elicit a re-
sponsive answer This recalls the fact that
the life of the provisional government Is
supposed TO depend upon the action of the
United States government upon the an
rexation or protectorate propositions.
In some quarters 1t is surmised that Min
lister Willis will assume that a notice from
him to President Dale. upon the authority
or President Cleveland. to the effect that
the United States government has finally
and definitely rejected all proposals look
ing 10 either annexation or the establish
aent OF 9rotectorate will be- the death
warrant of the provisional government of
Hawaii, and, regarding that government
as defunct, the minister will present his
credentials to the queen, or at least open
diplomatic relations with her majesty 1t
Is believed that all doubt on this score
might have been removed had the China
remained at Honolulu another day As II
Is the next news that will come to hand
steamer Australia. which sailed from Homo
lulu last Saturday and is due in San Fran
cisco next Saturday.
Are There Any Precedcnts.
There seem to be no precedents for the
action of this government in inauguratine
movement to re-establish Liliuokalani on
the throne of Hawaii. 1t is one of those
cases, apparently. from which precedents
spring. In short, the situation is unioue. -
said a veteran diplomat to a Star reporter
this morning on this subject. 1T is alto
gether an extraordinary situation, and in
all my experience, in China, Japan, France
and the West Indies, l never saw anything
that equaied it, This government certain
ly had no parallel to go upon, and so it had
to devise a course of action. Personally /
think that the So-calied revolutionists in
Hawaii a band of usurDers and that
the monarchy should be restored. As a
lawyer / should say that the case IS scarce
iy covered by any of the tenets of interna-
tIonal law Great Britain may resent the
interference Of the United States but
not by virtue of any esta abiished custom,
for the part played by the American inter-
ests at the time Of the overthrow compli-
Gates the situation"
Aside from this view there seems to be a
feeling around the State Department that
there are so few guides for action that the
time has come for the United States to
take the bit in their teeth and go ahead
Ministcr Willis Alleged Instructions
A gentleman who in the past has shown
an intimate knowledge of the purposes of
the administration in its foreign policy now
says that Minister Willis has been in
structed not only to repudiate the present
provisional government of Hawaii but to
employ the United States naval forces in
bringing about the restoration of the queen.