New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-27
THE H1U1IT1N REPORIS.


The majority report of the Foreign Relations
Committee Of the Senate on the Hawaiian DuSi-
ness is not an altogcthe satisfactory document.
How far II is from being full ana cXact state
mcnt of the views of Republican members OF
the committee is plainly shown III lh'ir "i'N'"'
on several important points That II uo'S n"'
say Just what the Democratic chairlliah VII"
drew it up would have preferred mat II Sl""l'i
saw had his situation been somewhat less ON
baIrassing. Is probable. There il every r'aS"h
TO believe that ii does not Adequately express
public sentiment. and there may be Sonic HI"u'."
for hope that Il ma lOrlty Of Senators VIII N"'c
that il does not fully reflect their "pihl"hS'
though perhaps IL comes rs near 10 doilS 80
as they will be willing 70 have the rcc"rl SHOW
under the peculiar circumstances OF Inc case.
To speak first Of the good points of the re-
port, it Is exceedingly gratifying TO iind i'll II
the explicit declaration that the queen OF la
waii was the author and promoter OF the rrvo-
luton which destroyed her throne that she had
violated her oath To defend the Constitution
under which she rcgncd. and only postponed
the execution of her purpose when she realized
her weakness. This is n fundamental truth
which alhercnts Of the Administration have
studiously endcavorcd to forget No Judgment
in This case is honest or valuable which does
not Begin with the acknowledgment that the
Ouccn WAS the aggrcssor who made the first
assault upon the monarchy. Proceeding from
that clear recognition of an essential fact. The
report cmphatcally justiics in international
law. in morals and in common sense the gen
cral dcmcanor and every act of Minister Sic
vens save only his hosting of the American
flag and declaration of an American protecto-
rate over Hawaii, which act. ii says, was Win
out authority and void for want ot power.
Thus at one stroke the persistent d"nnhcla''h
of Minister Stevens for first conspirng ana then
proceeding To overthrow the monarchy ana sci
M the Provisional Government. AMI all the
violent accusations with which he has been as
sailed are left by Tie majority report without
a vestigc Of excuse in truth or dcccncy.
II is much 10 he regretted that Senator Nor
gan. having reached judgment 80 sound ana
secure as 10 the Queens responsibility for her
overthrow ana as 10 the just authority of the
Government which has ruled the islands during
the last year. was unable 10 Join his Kcpub-
lican colleagues in other conclusions upon Which
they logically insist. Having acknowledged
that the abdlcatlon Of the Queen was complete,
and approved the recognition Of the provisional
Government we do not understand how he
could escape the conviction which IN" R"pnb-
lican Senators express when they say That the
relations and intercourse Of McsSrS. lilount ana
Willis with the head and with The "Necutiv"
officers of an ovcrhrown Government. conduct
al for the purpose Of restoring that tovcln'ncht
by dispacing It's successor. were unWarrantahlc
In some aspects of the case the investment ~
Mr. Blount with paramount authority. which
the Republican Senators pronounce an uuconSi
tutonal-act. NAV he the most serious part of illr
affair but II seems 10 us that thc most shame
ful part Of it las The deliberate purpose u Mr.
willis. inspired by President Cleveland. 10 be
tray the Government to which he was accrcd
tied by a deliberate course ~ action which
gave all possible advantages 10 the enemies "
that Government In transaction puporiing
10 be friendly and peculiarly hi@h-mind"l
There i much To- commend In Tho report rs
II is presented: If II should hc ancnicd in bar
mony with the supplementary report 81 ih"
Republican Senators and made 70 express in
explicit terms The annexation sentiment which
may without difficulty be discovered between
the lines. il would be- altogether admirable. "
compared with the false prctcnccs 81 which The
House Of Representatives has made Itself ~ lty.
the document prepared 10y Senator Morgan is
refreshing and pialscworihy. lis adoption 10y
the Senate would not modify the opinion of
the people Of the United States that they have
been badly served I'm their relations with Hawaii
since the present Administration set ont 10 re-
view and revise the action of its predecessor;
but il would probably he accepted by both com
tries rs tending IN some degree 10 promote Il
rectiiicatlon OF the wrongs which both have
suffered