The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-26
THE TWO PRESIDENTS.

No thoughtful, candid American can
read President Dole's bill of particulars of
January IL, demanded by Minister Willis
ON January /, without feeling a sense of
shame that the president Of little Hawaii
was able to frame an unanswerabie indict-
ment against the Cleveland administra-
ton of bad faith, duplicity and cowardice.
President Dole originally planted himself
upon the impregnable position that he had
right to know the intentions OF gov
eminent which had formally acknowl-
edged him as president of the Hawai-
islands. These specifications of the
grounds upon which President Dole fairly
based his legitimate request for informa-
ton as 20 whether the administration in.
tended To use force to execute its demand
for the restoration of Queen Lii, have been
deliberately withheld from the senate be-
cause they justify tho charge of President
Dole that Minister Willis, from the dav of
his arrival in Honolulu. deliberately con-
cealed the fact that the American execu-
tive had no right to use physical force for
the purpose of subyerting a foreign gov
eminent without the sanction of congress.
President Dole's letter of specifications
proves than not only aid Minister Willis
artfully conceal this fact, but that no per-
sistently endeavored to create contrary
impression.
Minister Willis was clearly guilty. Of
menace, duplicity and fraud in dealing
with the Hawaiian government, and de-
served to have been elected from Homo
lulu. That he was not elected was due to
the extraordinary self-resiraint Of the
Hawaiian government and its deep anx-
iety to do nothing that could be used IS a
pretext 10 excite any feeling of hostility
on the part of the American people. That
is, President Dole kept his temper and ha.
trusted wisely to the old adage which
eommends the policy of giving fool rops
enough 10 hang himself.
President Dole's letter of specification,
is "a model Of good temper, logic, self-re.
speet. nrmness and wisdom. 1t convict,
the administration of contemplate con-
duet on the part OF great and powerful
government toward a weak and friendly
neighbor. Every right minded American
OF either party will feel the blush of shame
mount TO his cheek when he reads presi.
dent Dole's tale of the odioas and despics.
bic conduct Of Mr.. Cleveland from frs, to
last in the Hawaiian business The most
singing reelection Is that the president Of
this petty little power shows himself more
than match for Willis, Gresham and
Cleveland on the ground Of law and rea-
son. President Dole makes il perfectly
clear that while protesting friendship the
American representative Was secretly
s,a5bing the provisional government, in
the back; lie makes il perfectly clear thai
the American government while con-
seious that II could not w,thou.
the authority Of congress exercise the
warmaking power. nevertheless AZ the
same time attempted 10 deceive aud In
tsmidats the provisional government with
the threat @. force. The courtesy. the
ealmness, the GOODNESS. the self-restrAint
the knowledge and the logic are all with
President Do!e who In his mastery lettsr
handles Cleveland. Gresham aud Willis a,
easily IS eat woald handle mouse.
President Dole shows that Willis came 70
Honolulu With credentials and assurances
G. goed . u - the provisional government;