Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-01-25
DON QuIxoTE STEVENS.
What an Authority ON International Law
Says OF Him.

DON QUIxoTE STEVENS.
What an Authority on International Law
Says OF Him.
One of the points most hot!y con.
tended for by the defenders OF Mr..
Stevens is that he only gave his reccg.
milton of the provisional government,
as the de facto government of the
islands, after the committee Of public
safety had taken possession of the gov
eminent buildings, archives and treas
ury, and after the provisional govern
ment had been installed at the heads Of
these respective departments. Posi-
bly, this may be true, although very
strong evidence to the contrary is of
fered. It is possible that Mr. Stevens
may have actually deferred recognition
of the provisional government until
such occupation of the public buildings,
but that does not seem to be the only.
or indeed the important, question in
the case. If by his action he coerced
the feeble administration of the queen
to yield up its power and to succumb
before the authority OF the United
States, then to argue that he should es-
cape criticism because of this delay is
simply Iattifogging. The expression
may be harsh, but it is the only proper
one. The truth seems to be that he
had arranged the matters with the in
surrectionists; that he had given them
his promise; that the soldiers had been
landed; that the moral forces at his
command were used and the physical
forces held ready for action, and when.
under these combined influences, the
government resigned, he appeared for
the first time formally to recognize an
administration Of his own creation.
But even this attempt at palliation is
disposed of by Judge Dole, a gentleman
in whom Mr.. Stevens places the high
est confidence, and whose veracity he
must be the last man in the world to
impeach. Judge Dole writes on Janu-
airy II, 1898, the very day on which Mr..
Stevens had refused any longer to re-
tiers, and says:
II acknowledge receipt of your
valued communication of this day rec
ognizing the Hawaiian provisional gov
eminent, and express deep apprecia-
ton of the same. We have conferred
with the ministers of the late govern
ment, and have made demand upon the
marshal to surrender the station house.
We are not actually yet in possession
of the station house; but as night is APP
preaching. and our forces may be in
sufficient to maintain order, we request
the immediate support Of the United
States forces,'' etc.
We must leave this highly respect
able man, Judge Dole, to reconcile his
statement with Mr.. Stevens declara-
ton. If Judge Dole was telling the
truth, at u time when there was no
reason why he should dissemble or dis
regard it, he was not in possession Of
the station house at the time when he
was thanking Mr.. Stevens for his rec
ognition of the provisional govern
ment Until these two gentlemen have
settled this question, it must be as
sumed, with all the probabilities in
Stevens had actually, as he certainly
had in intent, promoted, encouraged,
aided and abetted the insurrection.
The downfall of the monarchy may
or may not be a desirable event, the
queen may or may not be what her en-
emies charge; Judge Dole and his asso-
ciates may absorb in themselves all the
cardinal and other virtues, but it is diff
fcuit for an impartial man to escape
the conviction that whatever good,
whatever credit and whatever praise
may attach to the downfall of Queen
Liliuozalani belongs mainly to Mr..
Stevens. Judge Dole and other excel
lent gentlemen may have a just claim
to small part of the success, but the
chief actor is undoubtedly MIR. Stevens.
Truly he did it; and ii it be part of the
occupation of United States ENJOYS to
act the part of international Don
Quixotes, to use their Office and their
power to subvert governments that do
not suit their tastes, and to arrange
new establishments more to their own
liking, he has earned the gratitude of
his countrymen. In the meanwhile,
his Jealous efforts have made it impera-
tive upon our people to decide how far
they will ratify his acts, thereby estab-
fishing precedents which are very sure.
if followed, to relieve our international
relations from the reproach of being
tame or monotonous.-F. E. Coudert
in North American Review.