St. Paul daily globe., 1894-01-06

recognized government has been over
thrown by force of arms, the marines of
the United States navy assisting. aud a
nsurpatiOn has assumed to govern the
country. 1t is charged on the other
side that the United States government
has since endeavored to restore the
original government by means unautbor-
lied by law. TheresexistS a radical diff
ference of opinion as to the facts and
lack or information of such nature as
will command the belief of all classes of
the community.
A congressional committees investi.
CATION OF the facts in controversy
and the issues involved would carry a
weight that no other in quiry would pos
SeSS. 1t would be necessarily non-par-
tisan, for both the friends and oppo-
nents Of the presidents policy would
have representation upon the commit
tee, and the two reports that would re-
suit would present conclusions arrived
at from due consideration Of all the
facts, viewed, however. from different
partisan standpoints. In one report or
the other every phase of the question
would be elucidated, and much that is
now involved i'll obscurity would be
made clear TO the perception of every
citizen. N
The expense attendant upon carrying
out the proposed plan would be conSid-
cradle, but it would be warranted by
the results attained. The GLOBE has
no doubt that the administration acted
WIcAlu anH ri iaaliu i'm pnHGA VOrinu
to right the wrong that had been per-
petrated upon friendly foreign power
by diplomatic and naval officers Of the
United States. 1t recognizes the fact,
however, that all Americans do not
agree with it. but is confident that there
would be practical unity of sentiment
among honest men of all parties il all
the facts connected with the transaction
were known. 1t is anxious that moth
ing should remain hidden from the pub
lie view; that every circumstance bear
ing upon the question should have the
widest publicity, and that the course Of
the administration be judged i'll the
light of these circumstances.
There should be no opposition on the
Democratic side to the dispatch of the
proposed commission. The Hawaiian
matter is of great Importance in itself,
but in the precedents it will establish 1t
is Of still greater Importance. Upon its
settlement will depend in large meas
ure definition of the rights and re-
sponsibilities of our foreign diplomatic
representatives. If they have right to
conspire with the disco1tented elements
in Hawaii to overthrow the government,
they have right to conspire with the
enemies of the British, the French or
the German governments to overthrow
their regularly constituted governments.
The principle is the same, whether it Is
put In practice in the South seas or on
the continent of Europe. and it will be
we'll, if the right claimed for Minis
ter Stevens is to be recognized,
that the people should know it. so
that, if our minister to the court of st.
James shall join with the dynamiters to
blow up the parliament houses, or to
seize Windsor castle, we may be pre-
pared to sustain his conduct with the
full strength of our army and navy.
The administration has nothing to
fear from full inquiry into all the facts
bearing upon this controversy. The
result will only strengthen its position
before the people, and disarm the oppo-
sition by exposing the despicable in-
trigues and the dishonorable methods
employed by the jineo statesmen to
bring about the annexation of the Ha-
waiian islands for the profit of band
OF unprinclpled speculators and desper-
| ate political adventurers.