The Portland daily press., 1893-11-13
THE HAWAIIAN SITUATION.

issue between the report of Commi ssioner
Blount and the report of Minister Stevens,
as to which states correctly the circum-
stances of that affair; and the justice or
injustice, the wisdom or folly of the
Secretary's recommendations are deter
minable largely ON this ISSUE Minister
Stevenss contention was that The over
throw of the Queen was q fact accom-
plished before the United States marines
were landed, that it had been achieved
entirely without connivance on the part
sentatives, and that the United States
m arines wers landed simply to assist in
preserving order and 20 protect the lives
and property of American residents.
Commissioner Blount on the other hand
reports that the overthrow of the Queen
was the result of a conspiracy in which
the diplomatic and naval representatives
Of the United st ties were both
actively engaged. that tl.s moral and
physical support given it by the Unitet::
States alone made it a success, and
that withcdt it there could have been
no successful revolution and would have
been probably no revolution at ALL Ac-
cording to Commissioner Blount we tore
down the Queens government with some
assistance from American residents. Ac-
cording to Minister Stevens, the govern
ment had alreacy been torn down when
the United States made it's display of
force.
The administration has seen fit to &C
cept the report of Corr missioner Blount
as containing the correct version of the
occurrence, for no better reason apparent
ly than that it accorded best with it's
wishes and ideas. Certainly the oppor-
tunities of Minister Stevens for knowing
the facts were far superior to these
Of Mr.. Blount. Mr.. Stevens was on
the ground when the revolution occurred.
Mr.. Blount was not there until many
months afterwards. Mr.. Stevens knew
the circumstances from close observation.
Mir. Blount had to get them second hand
from the testimony of men a long time
afterwards. This testimony he undoubt-
eddy found conflicting, and his precon-
ceived opinions undoubtedly very
much to do with the determining what
he would accept and what he would
throw away. Mr. BloJlnt went to the
island when the question had become
somewhat party issue in this country
without any definite knowledge of the
facts. With very little consideration
of the merits of the question the Demo-
Gratis had condemned Miniter Stevens
acts simply because they were the acts of
Republican. Mr.. Blount was a Demo-
GRAFT and he was sent out by Democratic
administration to ascertain the facts.
Under these circumstances it was newt
able that Mr.. Blount's mind should be
much more receptive to stories that
tended to discredit the legality and
rightfulness of Mr.. Stevens's conduct than
to testimony. that made the other way.
1t is nothing more than the truth to say
Mr.. Blount went to Hawaii hoping to
find material to discredit Mr.. Stevens
report and the action of the Harrison
administration based upon it, OF course
the royalists were ready and anxious to
furnish him with what he was after.
To discrediJ Commissioners Blount's re-
port it is only necessary to as. ume, what
as undoubtedly the fact, that he had
some preconceived ideas on the question
before he began his investigation and
gave more willing ear to testimony that
tended to support them than to the oppo-
site kind. But to discredit Minister Stev-
ens's we must assume that he deliberately
falsifed. He certainly knew whether
the revolution was one with which he
had nothing to do .or one which he
plotted and contrived himself. He could
make no mistake on this point, he could
not be deceived in regard to it, and SO if
he represented it as purely a revolution
of Hawaiian residents, with which the
United States had nothing to do, he must
have deliberately misrepresented it. Mr..
Stevens is gentleman of high standing,
of wide knowledge and long diplomatic ex-
perience. That he would have deliber-
ately misrepresented facts of great i'm
portance to the government of which he
was the accredited representative is not
to be believed unless it is established by
thorough and impartial investigation.
So far there has been no investigation
worthy of the name. The public is asked
to discredit him simply on the strength
of the deductions of prejudiced secre-
tary of state from the report of a
prejudiced commissioner. The public
has too great liking for fair play to do
anysuch thing.
The case stands thus: On the strength
of a purely partisan investigation the
administration pronounces Minister
Stevens a liar, and the Hawaiian com
missioners liars, and declares that Ameri-
can bayonets must, if necessary, be used
to restore to the throne of Hawaii a
dissolute queen who is detested by all the
respectable residents of the island. Soon
err or later the American people will get
an opportunity to express their opinion
ofsthis performance.
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TOYS MADE IN GERMANY.