The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-03-16
SUGAR PRODUCERS SCHEME.
That Is What the Hawaiian
Matter Appears to Be.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
misrepresentation BlOunt on Special
Mission to Honolulu.
The Confidential stenographer of the
State Department Accompanies Him
a Rigid Investigation of the
Situation to Be Made.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-Ex-Repre-
sentative B!ount of Georgia, left Wash
ington last night for San Francisco ac-
companied by Mr. Ellis Mills, confiden-
tial stenograpner Of the state department.
He is, it is contidentially asserted, bound
for Honolulu on a secret mission, the APP
pointment of which required no contir-
nation by the Senate. The selection Of
Mr.. Blount for the mission indicates that
Cleveland is not yet satisfied that Hawaii
should be annexed to the United States
but has not made up his mind to oppose
it. Mr.. Biount will make very thor
ough investigation of the situation and
the presidents future action on the sub
lect viii probably be governed by the re-
port. As chairman OF the Foreign Al
fairs committee when the matter first
come before the public Mr.. Blount took
a very conservative position refusing to
commit himself without further lntor-
nation.
More than a year before the overthrow
of the queen delegation from the
Hawaii legislature came to tits country,
without public announcement, seeking
some indication from this country OF
what support a revolutionary party might
rely on If they should overthrow the old
government and establish a provisional
government, as has been done. The I'LL
innate object, as they then disclosed 1t,
was to secure annexation to this country,
as they did not hope for success In the
permanent establishment of a new gov
eminent. Mr.. Rlount was among the
few persons with whom they talked and
he then refused to connect himself with any
such plan. There is no doubt since the
overthrow of the queen that he had some
suspicion that this government may have
encouraged the revolution and might
possibly be accused of having part in
the establishment of the new government
IN the islsnds with which we are asked TO
treat.
The questiy n, however, as to what
brought this -'verthrow of the govern
ment about, a . whether the provisional
government actually represents popular
sentiment will, it is understood, be
thoroughly Investigated. First of all the
fact VIII be established that this govern
ment pending ratification of a treaty Civ
ing the right to do so, will not Interfere
in any way with the affairs of the islands,
except. if need be, to defend them from
foreign encroachment, the idea being
that the government claiming to repre-
sent the people of the islands must be
strong enough to maintain itself IL we are
to treat with it. The probability is that
we Will do nothing to maintain provis-
1onal government against any other gov
eminent the people of Hawaii themselves
seek to be established, but if it
is found the provisional govern
ment is really the chosen government of
the islands, and is not dependent on the
support OF the United States for existence,
the proposition for annexation may be
favorably regarded and an amended treaty
may be sent to the Senate at the next
session.
However, apart from other considera-
tions the desirability of annexing the
islands will be investigated as business
proposition. 1t is said the administra-
ton early received information
which it deemed reliable that the
overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani
and the establishment of provisional
government was the result of a plan for
mulated by the sugar producing element
of the island and which were further ad-
vanced in san Francisco upon receiving
information that the withdrawal of the
treaty had been determined on.
Cipher dispatches went out last night
from both the state and navy departments
for Honolulu which will go forward on
the steamer Australia from San Francis
co today. What these dispatches contain
none OF the officials in either department