New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-19
A DIPLOMATIC FIASCO.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS GAME EXPOSED.
WHY MINISTER WILLIS DID NOT DECLARE FOR
THE MONARCHY. AND WHY PRESIDENT
DOLE DID NOT PROCLAIM
rpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrSE.J

San Francisco Nov. lS--In the regular news
which came from Honolulu to-day by the
steamer Australia no light was shed on what
is the most interesting feature OF the situation.
This feature is: What will the Provisional Gov.
ernment do. and what influences modified Min.
lister Williss course and prevented him from
carrying out the instructions which Secretary
Gresham gave to him whR he left Washington
The answer to this quer y reaches the heart OF
the whole matter and this answer was secured
from one of the passengers on the Australia.
His name cannot be given. but he is entirely
Trustworthy. and what he says may be vouched
for as truth and not mere rumor, gossip or In
ference. He is in a position to know whereof
he speaks and he declares confidently that
official intelligence which came by this steamer
will bear out his assertions In talk this
morning he said:
II went down on the steamer which carried
Minister Willis TO the islands l found out
that the game of the Administration had been
flushed even before Willis left San Francisco.
While he waiting In San Francisco for the
departure of the steamer he was amazed to
learn. through sources which OF course
not be divuged. that Hawaiian Minister Thurs.
ton at Washington had obtained full reports Of
the decision Of the Cabinet on the Hawaiian
policy and had sent long dispatches to Presi-
dent Dole. Thurston in these dispatches which
would reach Honolulu at the same time Willis
arrived. informed Dole of the decision Of the
Cabinet to restore Luokalani. He urged
upon him, therefore, to lose no time In prepar.
ing for the emergency. He told Dole of Gresh.
ans argument that the Provisional Govern.
ment lapsed the moment the United States
formally declared against annexation and urged
him to declare the republic at once as the
pf win fha
falling again into the hands of the Queens
followers. When Willis learned of this he was
paralyzed, for 1t upset all his plans. which
were founded on the assumption that Thurston
was in ignorance of the decision of the Ad.
ministration. So he telegraphe to Gresha m
and, ii is believed received orders to proceed
according to his own discretion. and not to
Dring ABOUT an armed conflict, Ii II could pos.
sibly be avoided
WHAT OCCURRED AFTER THE SPEECHES
"You know what occurred on the 7th. when
Willis formally presented his credentials The
speeches were of the usual 'poppycock' order.
full of patitudes and meaning nothing The
crowd that listened to them never dreamed that
the two chief actors knew each others pur.
poses and were to have II out in private when
tne poiite public function was ended. When the
audience dispersed Dole and Willis met an.
parentiy FOR mere friendly exchange OF cour-
tesies. but when they went apart from the other
onicials they exchanged some very plain. strong
language: Willis opened the fight by de-
caring that he could not tolerate the decara-
tion OF republic. He did not say positively
what ne would do In such an emergency, but
ne intimated that II would efYectually end the
whOle controversy In summary fashion
This ultimatum. and the knowledge that
Willis had full information OF Thurston's dis
patcn. induced President Dole to hesitate about
declaring a. republic. Willis on his mart AT
once set about sounding the public. His agents
went among all classes Of people. and they
Drought him reports that large part Of the
visional Government This was a surprise for
Wills ana as there was no question OF Its acs
ouracy' ne, In turn, feared to take any decisivS