The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-03-28
A STATESMANLIKE REPORT ON HA-
WAIIAN AFFAIRS.

The Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations have submitted the evil
dence taken by it in the hearings had
by it in its investigation of the rela-
tions between the United States and
Hawaii during the past year or more,
together with three reports embody-
ing the conclusions of the members of
the committee thereon. One of these
reports represents the views of the
majority of the committee, another is
supplementary report by the Repub-
lican members agreeing to the major
ity report, and the third is a minority
report signed by the Democratic MEM
bers of the committee who do not
agree with Chairman Morgan's view
of events in the islands and the policy
to be pursued in relation thereto.
1t Is with the first mentioned of these
reports that we have naturally most
concern. 1t is worthy of note in the
first place that the majority of the
committee is made up of the Demo-
cratic chairman of the committee and
the four Republican members of what
is ordinarily the minority of the COM
mittee. A strong note of dissent from
the line of policy pursued by the
Administration in Hawaiian affairs
fixes the tone of this report, which
constitutes substantial indorse-
ment of the course pursued by
the preceding administration. Begin
ming with the date of the landing of
the United States marines in January,
1898, the report concludes that at the
time in question there was a complete
paralysis of executive government in
Hawaii, that the government of
Queen Liliuokalani had no power to
protect either native or foreign citi-
zens, that it was the right of the Unit
ed States to land troops upon the ISL
ands at any place where it was neces-
sary in the opinion of our minister to
protect the citizens of the United
States, that the purpose of Minister
Stevens and Captain Wiltse in land
ing the troops was Legitimate and that
they acted in good faith and with no
interests in view except the protection
of American citizens and the preser-
walton of order.
AS regards the recognition of the
Provisional Government by the Amer
lean Minister the report takes the
ground that the precise hour when or
the conditions under which the Amer
lean Minister recognized the Provis-
ional Government was not q mat
ter of material Importance, but
that it was his duty at the safest
possible period to assist by his
recognition the termination OF inter-
regnum, so that citizens of the United
States might be safely RENTED to the
care of that Government for the care
of their rights, and that soon as he
had conviction that the Provisional
Government was secure against over
throw it was his duty to recognize the
rehabilitated state. 1t is pointedly
suggested that if no question of the
of Hawaii to the United
States had existed the conduct of the
United States Minister in giving Off
cial recognition to the Provisional
Government would not have been the
subject of adverse criticism, but it is
pointed out that the presence of that
question and his advocacy of anneXa-
ton did not relieve Mr.. Stevens from
the duty or abridge his right to call
for the troops on the Boston to pro-
tect the citizens of the United States
during an interregnum in the office of |