Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-03
COMPROMISE REPORT.
Republicans and Two Democrats Nav
Agree On Hawaii
Majority Of the Senate Investigatfng
Pohcy-Two Reports Probable.

a. many TcdSOuS why IQe republic
can members Of the subcommittee Of the
on foreign relations Of the Senate.
now engaged in investigating the Hawaiian
matter. should be willing to compromise
with two Of the democratic members, Sena-
tors Morgan and Butler, and unite in max
Ing majority report that will be satisfae-
tory to the opponents of the administration.
Such report, In the first place, would have
the weight and prestige OF being made by
four-fifths Of the subcommittee, leaving Mr.
Gray to work out his own salvation and
that OF the President in a minority report
OF one. Then, too, it would have the ad-
vantage OF presenting the appearance of
being perfectly non-partisan report, free
from party prejudice. being signed by an
equal number of republicans and democrats
OF course it would be difficult to arrange
just the terms of such a report, for much
would have to be conceded by each side and
much accepted by both that would be wholly
unpalatable under ordinary circumstances
Senators Morgan and Butler belong to that
large faction In the Senate which is opposed
to the President on so many policies that
they are almost out of his sphere. They
were in the minority in the great silver
tight and thus found themselves opposing
his recommendations. They lost no oppor-
tunity to declare their hostility to him, and
regard Of the theories that are supposed to
underlie the relations between the execu-
tive and the legislative branches of the gov
eminent Though neither OF these Senators
has so far expressed any open hostility to-
ward the President In this particular mat
ter, yet 1t is openly avowed by their friends
that they are eager to find some way in
which they can apply to him the screws
that he put on the Senate last autumn dur
ing the silver struggle.
The R>uuhpscs~ IA.
The main idea OF the republican Senators
on the subcommittee Is to vindicate the
course OF President Harrison and Minister
Stevens They use all other phases Of the
controversy as stepping stones to this end.
Mr.. Blount is OF no consequence personally
in the matter. as far as they are concerned.
They desire to save the republican prestige
and to put the President In an awkward
position. Yet they are willing. It il whis-
pered, to forego some OF the advantage of
a complete Endorsement Of Mr.. stevens In
this particular for the pleasure OF q pointed
slap at the President. They are. therefore,
not averse to plan that will combine the
interests Of the dissatisfied democrats with
their own.
A Compromise Report.
Such a report might be outlined, there
fore, on this basis, but on no other: Mr.
Harrison's course to be accepted without
comment and Mr.. Stevens tacitly rebuked
for an excess OF zeal. the appointment OF
Mr.. Blount criticised as unwarranted and
unprecedented, and the efforts OF the Pres
ident to restore the queen characterized as
needless and impolitic, with a declaration
that ii is the sense OF Congress that she
should not be restored. Thus both republi-
can and democratic prestige would be MAIN
tanned, SO far as the parties are concerned.
a M y nrr. &c NJ she Aax.t
would be given the chance to disapprove OF
the course that he took on the ground that
II was a personal cause, unwarranted by
any action or theory OF the democracy. and
therefore not to be laid at the doors of the
party. OF course such a step would be a
serious one, and not to be taken without
grave elaboration. The character of the
two democratic Senators who would sign it
sufhces to dfsarm much OF the opposition
that IT might incite. The fact that Mr.. Gray
has already placed himself on record as an
advocate OF the Presidents actions, and
that he has expressed himself since the sub
committee began its sessions as of the opin-
ion that nothing would be developed beyond
the conclusions OF Mr.. Blount, makes e the
easier for the other democrats to take the
high ground OF ruthless investigators, de-
termined to uproot the truth OF the case,
regardless Of the consequences.
Another Course.
Should this course be not adopted IL would
then be necessary for the two anti-adminis-
tration democrats to ally themselves with
Mr.. Gray. or to make an Independent re-
port. The former position would be ex-
tremely distasteful to them, and the latter
would show the existence of factions In the
party, without any advantage being gained
by their Independence. Either Of these poll
cies would leave the republicans free to
make report that would contain a bitter
arraignment Of the President without ref
erence to his relations with his party. As
mere party capital this report would, of
course, be more valuable for the present
moment to the republicans, but II would
not have the weight or the value for the
future that compromise report would
have, as the latter would be in the highest
sense bipartisan and impartial