Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-12
.BLOUNT IS QUESTIONED
He Appears Before the Senate's
 Investigating Committee.
DEFENDED HIS HAWAIIAN REPORT
Senator Davis of Minnesota Caused the Senate to Laugh by Using Ridiculous SimiIes In His Hawaiian PhiIippic-More Tariff Talk In the House.

state department. All that could be learn ed of the dispatches was that the matter they contain is about 12,OOO words, Presi. dent Dole's letter in reply to Minister Will lis demand consuming about 5000 words. It was thought that the matter would be sent to congress yesterday, but the perusal of it by the president occupied considerable time, and it was found that the prepara. tion of copies to be sent to the capitol would occupy much more.
 The examination of MT. Blount by the senate committee which is Investigating the Hawaiian affair was a surprise. Blount was examined in regard to statements made by the Hawaiians to the effect that his examination had been partial and that his method of conducting it had been ap- parently in the direction~of obtaining in. formation against the provisional govern, ment and in favor of the royalists.
 To this he replied that he took the testi. mony in his own way and acted upon his own judgment. He had been selected to make this examination and had been given entire authority to conduct it in any man. ner he saw fit and to obtain the most ac- curate and best information concerning the revolution. ~a
 When asked if there was any ground for the complaints, he referred to the fact that he had published in Hawaii his desire to obtain all information possible.
 MT. BIounts DenIaIs.
 The examination of MT. Blount also went into the various questions concerning the landing of the American troops during the revolution and his reasons for concluding that there had been a conspiracy to de- throne the queen and annex the islands to the United States. It is understood that he was also reminded of the charge that his investigation had been partial and that his report showed upon its face that he had been prejudiced against annexation from the beginning.
 This Mir. Blount said was untrue, and he contended that the report was impartial, and the investigation was without preju- dice or favor. When asked by the chair man whether be had decided to make a statement concerning his report or upon any questions bearing upon Hawaiian af- fairs, MT. Blount replied that he did not care to add anything to what he had said. He had not, he said, come before the com mittee to defend his report, but to answer any questions which might be put to him by the committee.
 There was some conversation about the secret mode which MT. Blount employed in collecting his information by having none but himself and stenographer pres ent and the witnesses not being prepared to make a complete statement. Mir. Blount again replied that it was a part of his au- thority he exercised and that he completed the testimony in the manner he thought best.
 It was evident that MT. Blount was de termined not to allow the committee to have any advantage over him, and he still held that his position as special commis- sioner did not give the senate the right to question his procedure while acting with authority not conferred by the senate. Throughout the whole examination there was this feeling, and while MT. Blount was willing to give the committee all facts in his possession which had not been laid be- fore them he resented any attempt to ques- tion his authority to act as he did or his method of procedure.
 Very little new information was obtain ed. To many of the questions MT. Blount cour:eously referred to his report and showed that the fact was duly set forth in the papers submitted and in possession of the senate. At the conclusion of the ex- animation of MT. Blount he had a long conference in the committee room with MT. Morgan.
 Davis Makes the Senate Laugh.
 The Hawaiian controversy consumed al most the whole time in the senate. Sen ator Davis of Minnesota concluded his speech in opposition to the policy of the present administration, and he was par ticularly emphatic in his opposition to the act of the president in commissioning Mr. Blount to Hawaii and clothing him with plenary powers, even to the extent of con- trol of the naval forces, without such an appointment having been confirmed by the senate. The deftness with which he pa 1a1 to fhn fa ha nnIA Rf %l opera bouffe queen clamoring for her lost throne was too much for the grave and venerable senate, and the galleries gave expression to its appreciation by applause so hearty that it required the usual threat of the presiding officer to clear the galleries to still the enthusiasm.
 Senator Turpie made an hours speech that was full of surprises. It was a strong legal argument, based on international and diplomatic law, and it took the bpsi- tiOn that the provisional government, hay ing been once recognized by the United States and the civilized world, it was fact accomplished, and recognition could not be withdrawn.
 While condemning the actions of Minis ter Stevens and denouncing him as a con spirator through whose influence and by whose assistance the government to which he had been accredited was overthrown, he declared that it would be just as great wrong and just as reprehensible in the eyes of the country and international law for this government now to step in and over throw the provisional government as it had been for Minister Stevens to aid in the de- struction of the former government. Sen ator Turpie was attentively listened to throughout, as his legal arguments on any subject never fail to excite the deep inter- Est of the senate.
 Save for a recess of two hours there was an uninterrupted flow of tariff oratory in the house again from Il a. m. until 10:30 D. m. Interest in the debate is beginning to flag little. The principal speeches were those of Mir. Breckinridge of Kentucky, Mir. Springer of Illinois, MT. Dingley of Maine and Mir Harter of Ohio.
 Harrison UnfavOrAbly Reported.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-The senate com mittee on commerce, it is understood, agreed to report unfavorably the nomina- ton of Scott Harrison, brother of ex- President Harrison, to be surveyor of GUS toms of the port of Kansas City. It is un- derstood that Senator Vest and other prominent Democrats of Kansas City op- posed Mir. Harrison's confirmation, claim ing that he is not Democrat and that he voted for Warner, the Republican candi- date for congress, and for his brother foi president. This, it is understood, Mir. liar. rison acknowledges, saying that the warm personal friendship that has always exist