Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-02
The Testimony Given Before the
Senate Investigating Committee.
IT ALL OUSlAINS EI-MIESYER STEVENS
Mr.. c. Jones and Col. SpauIding
Give Evidence Today.
OUTLOOK OF THE REPORT.


IN the Senate as to the Presidents Hawaiian
policy. Judging from the character of the
witnesses so far called the testimony that
Is being given is most all of a kind not
caicuiated TO establish the Presidents as
sumpuons In his message to the Senate
Up 10 GATE. including today, nothing has
peen told the subcommittee of the COM
mittee on foreign relations having in charge
the Investigation that has not verified the
statements OF ex-Minister Stevens and
others who have differed from Mr. Islount
AL todays session OF the subcommittee
some highly entertaining testimony was oh
tanned from Mr.. p c. Jones ana Col Zebu-
Ion f. spaulding. both merchants of Homo
iuiu' and both firmly in favor Of annexa-
ticn.
The meeting was to have begun at 10
O'Clock. but at that hour none of the MEM
oers OF the subcommittee were on hand.
Inc committee room was full of smoke.
caused by a badly drawing chimney. and n
was altogether uninhabitable. When Sena-
tor Morgan arrived a few minutes after 10
O'Clock the atmosphere was very muggy
Senator Frye came I'm about ten minutes
later and just about 1890 Senator GRAY
came on the scene
More strict Lines Of Secrecy.
IL was Immediately apparent that the COM
nittee proposes to work on more strict lines
In regard TO secrecy than those laid down
at the first meeting held last "Wednesday.
AT that meeting the newspaper men were
admitted to the small ante room fmme-
diately adjoining the committee room. ana
the double doors leading into the latter
were the only bar TO the proceedings being
held within This morning. however this
rcom was cleared before the COMMITTEES he
gan the meeting. and a watchman was
posted In the corridor. and the doors lead
ing mo tne ante room were closed. making
IL a secret vestibuie TO the inner sanctum
sanctorum. That additional measures have
been taken TO prevent the public from OBJ
tanning information during the progress OF
tne msssugation was evidenced by the IN
creased uncommunicativeness Of the clerk
OF the committee. Senator Morgan's SON
who politely refused to answer all questions
OF any nature whatever referring to the
Notwithstanding these precautions. The
star is enabled TO say today that the COM
mittee was RECALLED with great many facts,
hgures and arguments. showing the inn
portance Of the Hawaiian Islands TO the
United States. and the excellent reasons
that there are for annexation
The First witness. Today.
Mr.. Jones. the sfrst witness, Is a native
OF Boston, he is the leading member OF a
firm of importers and general merchants
with houses In Honolulu and Boston. He
makes his headquarters in the former city
anu Is n Cltlzcn OF the Islands. Having
been long identified with the commercial
interests of Hawaii he has become a prom
inent figure in that country and during the
autumn of 1892 was chosen by the queen
to be minister Of finance in the so-caned
wilcox cabinet This Office he held from
November, 1892. 10 the 18th of January,
1893. when he resigned from the cabinet
owing 10 the efforts Of the queen 10 force
the cabinet to sign her proposed constitu-
ton.
When the committee of fifty was organ
lied Mr.. Jones was found TO be a strong
adherent OF the principles that were OF re-
publicanism and was an earnest supporter
of the provisional government of which
he was a member for brief period in the
capacity of minister Of finance. He resign
ed his office after a few months service
owing TO I'll health and was succeeded by
Mr.. Damon. In his testimony before the
committee Mr.. Jones gave a detailed ac-
count of the efforts of the queen subvert
the constitutional government Of the island
and told graphically of the scenes at
tending the formation Of the provisional
government His testimony was entirely
contradictory of the conclusions contained
I'm Mr.. Blounts report and caused the sub
committee TO ask many leading questions
relative to the character Of the witnesses
of whom Mr.. Blount obtained his fnforma-
ton.
Col. spauldfng's Evidence.
Col Spaulding. who followed Mr.. Jones.
is also an American by birth, having COM
manded an Ohio regiment during the late
war. During the administration Of Secre-
tary Seward he was sent 20 Hawaii as q
consul and afterwards engaged in business
in Honolulu. where he is now regarded as
one Of the ablest men in the islands. He is
a very wealthy plantation owner and his
possessions are in extent only inferior TO
those of Claus spreckles. He is firmly In
favor of annexation. and IL is related that
when Spreckles last spring was endeavor-
ing TO induce the islanders TO desist from
their efforts 20 secure political union with
the United States the sugar king appealed
to them on the grounds that the labor
question, or the coolie question as IL II
better known. would be a serious embar-
rassment TO their interests. Col Spaulding
answered this assertion by saying that the
labor question could easily be taken care
Of by the United States and that he was
willing TO run the risk OF his interests
being injured on this score
He told the committee today this same
thing, and asserted that he only repre-
sented the views of a large number OF
question in Hawaii is a very minor anair.
which can be easily regulated on the basis
of the laws OF the Urited States. He ad.
vanced numerous arguments I'm favor OF
political union, and also gave an account OF
the proceedings in Hcnolulu during the
revolution Of last January. He was a mem.
Der OF the committee OF nifty and Is wen
qualified to tell Of he exciting events that
took place in the capital OF the island dur
ing that struggle.
DIR. Emerson subscrfbes 10 His Testf-
mony.
Just before the meeting formally opened
DR. Emerson, the witSess of the last meet
ing was called TO the committee room and
his testimony was read to him for his ap-
proval He subscribed TO il as correct and
then an oath was administered binding
him to secrecy. Prof. Alexander. the sur
veyor general of the island, who was told
by the committee last week that he would
be examined today. was Informed that he
would be called tomorrow morning, when
the committee will have another meeting.
DR.. Emerson will leave for Boston tonight
and expects to return soon to Honolulu.
Mr.. Hastings. the charge de affaires OF
the Hawaiian legation in this city, went to
the Capitol this morning with Mr.. Jones
and Col. Spaulding. and his appearance at
the committee room gave rise to the rumor
that he was TO be called a witness. This,
however. is not true, the committee has
decided to observe the custom which ex-
empts diplomatic officers from investiga-
tions Of this character.
News Expected by the Corwfn.
The steamer Corwin. which went to Hon.
olulu recently with dispatches for Minister
Willis. is expected to return from San
Francisco today or tomorrow She ought
TO bring late news of an interesting char