The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-17
An Unanswerabie Document.

IL Will 10 IcUltIuDSIOu bbhb oh DOSs so
eight days after Mr. WILLIS preposterous
demand for the abdicatlon Of a Govern
ment recognized by the United States. Mr..
DOLE addressed a letter to Mr.. WILLIS re-
questipg him TO state distinctly whether he
intended 10 enforce his demand by physical
force. and pointing out that his refusal 10
declare his Intentions had caused intolera-
bic suspense and excitement in Honolulu.
Nr. WILLIS at once requested him to with
draw that letter. which request was prop
erly refused. on the ground that such
withdrawal would DO tantamount to an adj
mission that the statements put forward
were incorrect. Thereupon. on Jan. I. Min
lister WILLIS officially answered Mr.. DoLE's
letter OF Dec. "a. and demanded that the
grounds should DO specified on which
the statements OF 1t were based. On
Jan. IL Mr.. DOLE complied with Sir. WILL
LIss demand. in letter which was pub
lished In Honolulu on Feb. Q. and was yes
terday printed In THE Sun. This letter sets
forth, In temperate and unanswerable
way, long series OF facts which amply ac-
count for the alarm and agitation TINT
prevailed In Hawaii for many weeks. be-
cause they unequivocally pointed to an In
tention to subvert the Provisional Govern
ment by physical force. Well may Mr..
DOLE declare that. In the absence OF as
surances which Mr.. WILLIS. though re-
quested. persistently refused to give. the
facts adduced by him are capable OF no
other construction.
Now what has been the course pursued by
our Stats Department with reference to this
document. which its representative had
called for. and which. as every candid read
er will admit. deserves to rank among the
most remarkable State papers Of our time?
The original request for an explanation OF
Nr. WILLIS Intentions. made by Mr.. DOLE
on Dec. q. and the responsive demand for
specifications made by Mr.. WILLIS on
Jan. ], were no sooner received In WASH
ington than they were transmitted by
Mr.. CLEVELAND to Congress in what will
now DO recognized as the silly and dlshon-
est hope that our Federal legislature would
take offence at Mr.. DoLE's manly assertion
OF his right to know tho intentions OF a
Government which had formally acknowl-
edged him rs President OF the Hawaiian
Islands. Why were not Mr. DoLE's specl-
Ncations OF the grounds on which his legiti-
mate request for information was made.
transmitted by Mr.. CLEVELAND TO Congress
with equal promptitude? They were sent
TO Mr.. WILLIS on Jan. II. although. with q
comfy which has not been refrigerated.
their publication at Honolulu was deferred
for twenty-six days. until Mr.. DOLE had
every reason TO believe that they had been
officially laid before Congress-. to which his
letter OF Dec. "a had been 30 hurriedly sub
mitted. II Is plain from comparison OF
dates that these specifications have been
for long time In the hands OF the State De-
partment. Why. then. have they been with
held from the Senate. which has called for
all the Hawaiian papers. and which Is known
to be engaged In preparing report up
on tho subject? As the Senate was so
swiftly made coGnizant OF the charge OF
causing suspense and agitation. made
In the letter OF Dec. "a. why have
the Specifications on which tho charge
was founded. been so stubbornly held back?
The question Is easily answered. now that
the document. still suppressed by the State
Department, Is Tepubllshed from tho Homo
lulu newspapers. Mr.. DoLE's specifications
have been held back from the Senate be-
cause they justify the charge; because they
prove that Mr.. WILLIS. from the day OF his
arrival at Honolulu. deliberately and art
fully concealed tho fact that tho American
Executive has no right To use physical force
for the purpose OF subverting a foreign
Government. without the sanction OF Con-
gress. They provo that not only did he
conceal this fact. but he persistently en-
deavored to create a contrary impression.
They prove. In short. that. executing faith
fully the disgraceful orders OF his master.
he was guilty OF menace. duplicity. and
fraud. acts for which. long ago. he would
have been elected from Honolulu but for
the exemplary magnanimity and self-con-
troll OF the Hawaiian Government. and its
unsuitable desire to preserve the friend
ship Of the American people.
American citizens will read with admira-
tion and with pride the letter In which Mr..
DOLE sets forth the specifications which
Minister WILLIS asked for. With admlra-
ton. for the unwavering good temper and
Irresistible logic Of the document; with
pride. that the firmness and wisdom OF our
Revolutionary stock finds such worthy rep
resentatives among the Hawaiians Of
American descent.