The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-15
VIII the Senate Speak Out?

In Wow OF the ambiguous tenor OF the
MoCHEARY resolution. passed by the House
Of Representatives-but for the ambiguity,
II IL doubtful whether the resolution could
have been passed-it has become doubly
important that the declaration of the Sem
ate with regard to our relations with Ha-
wall should be clear and unmistakable
Minister WILLIS demand for the abdica-
ton OF q recognized Government should not
be passed over In silence. but be distinctly
rebuked: and the duty Of our Executive to
suffer the provisional authorities at Homo
lulu to pursue their own line OF policy
should be- peremptorily affirmed. Senators
must recognize that. should they fall to do
this. the President may revert to the policy
Of infamy after the adjournment OF Com
gress. and. In that event. the responsibility
will DO shared by the spokesman Of the
Democracy In the Federal legislature.
1t will be observed that senator GRAY.
who Ia understood to represent the Admin
istration In the Hawaiian business. returned
evaslve answers TO certain searching ques-
tions put TO him by Senator TELLER. lie
was asked whether he understood that the
whole Hawaiian question had been RENTED
by the President to Congress. Tho Presi-
eShs DoSo oOs wac lcpiy1 UuI DendIOE
GRAY did not assert that the President
would not resume control OF the matter
after the adjournment OF Congress. pro-
vided neither House should make any
definite pronouncement on the subject. To
another question. whether the Senate ought
not to consider the Hawaiian matter set
tied. and 10 declare that the Provisional
Government should DO left unmolested,
Senator GRAY returned q conditional an
swer. obviously open to various construc-
tons. "If." he said. 1.-THE Provisional
Government has established itself in such a
manner as to be able to make itself In reality
de Jdeto Government. which. in my opinion.
II never was during the preceding months,
then conceive that the best interests Of the
Hawaiian people ard the best interests of
the United States will DO promoted by its
going on and obtaining the sanction OF the
people. II 1t can. which. up to this time, 1
have never heard OF its having done" Are
We TO infer that. In the judgment OF Senator
GRAY, the President should be left by Con-
gress to decide. in his discretion. whether
the conditions mentioned have been full
filled? Is not Mr.. CLEvELASD's opinion ON
that point already known? Was not the
assumption that those conditions were not
forthcoming. one Of the grounds on which
Minister WILLIS was instructed to demand
the abdication OF a Government. which Mr..
CLEVELAND himself had recognized?
1t Is fact. which will not be disputed
even by Senator GRAY. that Mr.. CLEVELAND
planned and expected the overthrow OF the
Honolulu Government in November, during
the interval between the end OF the spe-
eial session OF Congress and the beginning
OF its regular session. The plot failed.
because tho Honolulu Government declined
TO a6dieate under what was unquestionably
threat OF force. The Hawaiian question,
however. was not RENTED TO Congress i'm
nediately after its reassembling on Dec. A;
on the contrary 1t was not until the Senate
had demanded the papers relating TO Ha-
Waii that the President professed 10 ask
Congress what should be done In the mat
ter. To this tardy and involuntary request
IL was the duty OF each House OF Congress
70 return an explicit aud exhaustive answer.
The House OF Representatives has shirked
It's duty in the premises. because. while |
sanetioning the principle OF nOn-interfer- !
enes. which Mr.. CLEVELAND had invoked, |
not W rs4sTenes 10 the act Of Minister VIZ |