New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-17
PRESIDENT DOLES SPECIFICATIONS.


After a three-months acquaintance with Pres
ident Dole and numerous samples OF his quality
as a controversialist, Mr. Willis ought 10 have
known better than TO insist upon detailed
statement Of the facts which Hr Dole had al
legged In general terms affecting the President
of the United States and his representatives in
Hawaii Mr. Dole on January II gave The
American Minister the specifications for which
he had asked and after delay which has not
helped those to whom they were addressed The
people of this country have been enabled To
examine them. Mr.. Willis got no more than he
asked for but far more than he can turn 10
good account for himself and his master. If
there had been any doubt before Of the justice
Of the complaint brought by the Provisional
Government and Of President Doles ability TO
establish it, that doubt would vanish utterly
upon a perusal of this mastery letter. With
perfect courtesy. and with Il restraint which
under the circumstances is remarkable, the
Hawaiian Executive has framed an indictment
of the Administration at Washington and the
agents who have Obcyed lis orders at Honolulu
to which they might as well plead guilty with
out further waste Of time. No attempt 10 rcfutc
this straightforward statement of their relations
to the course of events in Hawaii can possibly
succeed It's force Is not derived from any new
and unexpected disclosures, for the testimony
was practically all in before, but from the in
terlocking of indisputable facts in orderly Sc
quence.
President Dole is perfectly frank. He avoids
no point on which Mr.. Willis with singular
temerty demanded enlightenment but in every
specification goes straight to the heart Of the
inquiry and lays bare the truth. 1t Is not
strange that the American Minister was in no
hurry to transmit this document TO Washing
ton having once obtained it, and it is now easy
to understand why he repeatedly urged Mr..
Dole to withdraw the charges here proved be-
fore it became necessary to include them among
the records Of his legation. For in twenty-cight
counts Mr.. Dole convcts Mr. Willis acting
under President Clcveland's instructions and as
we now know with his full approval, of purSll-
ing from the moment OF his arrival until after
the failure of his mission ii course Of persistent
and consistent trcachery toward the Govern
ment to which he bore credentials and assur-
ances Of goodwill. TO the rancorous enemies
of that Government, and especially to the cx-
Queen. he disclosed his whole heart. With them
he zcalously co-operated from first 10 last. slar-
ing with them his instructions and his hopes.
and rewarding their confidence by Withholding
knowledge Of his designs and their expecta-
tons. This object he attained not merely by
refusing to answer the reasonable requests Of
President Dole thus permitting disqucing de-
auctions to be drawn from his silence. but by
carefully calculated uttcrances on occasions
when speech seemed likely 10 promote his pur-
pose Thus in November, not 10 the Govern
ment 10 which lie accredited but 10 a
delegation of citizens. he said: II come here
as an executive officer | come here 10 act.
When the proper time comes shall act And
thus at about the same date he declared through
Hawaiian newspaper that until he received
additional instructions from Washington 10
changes in the situation would be allowed
Nor was it merely by silence as IA rule and
occasional unofficial declarations by way Of ex-
ception that the American Minister perplcxcd
and embarrassed the Government 10 which he
owed his diplomatic existence. Inspired hope
and encourag ed action on the part Of It's enemies
and excited popular alarm. He likewise en-
ployed the menace of force which he knew
he could not command. to break The spirit and
confuse the counsels Of the Government by
causing display Of activity aboard the Amcri-