Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-26
After a careful hearing OF ami the ess

the Editorial or Business Department,
according to tenor or purpose.
After careful hearing Of all the essen
tfal testimony and as a result of con-
sideration most deliberate, the Senate COM
mittee on foreign relations has put itself on
record as to Hawaii The majority report
Is signed by Senator Morgan, the demo-
cratic chairman of the committee. and by
the republican members Of that same body
Then there is supplemental report by the
republican members: a minority report by
all the democratic members except Senator
Morgan: and. lastly, another supplemental
report by Senators Butler and Turpie Ex-
IRENE mildness characterizes all the docu-
ments, and in none of them can there be
found a single expression that can be
tortured into criticism of those American
lied citizens of Hawaii who seized the
reins of government which were laid down
by the queen. The majority holds that:
Hawaii must be entitled to demand of
the United States an indulgent considera-
tion II not an active sympathy when she
Is endeavoring to accomplish what every
other American state has achieved-the
release of her own people from the odious
ant-republican regime, which denies to the
people the right to govern themselves and
right of monarch, whose title to such
divinity originated in the most slavish
conditions of pagan barbarity."
The Senators who are responsible for
this language declare that the landing of
the naval forces of the United States was
1ustinaDle because. as Senator Morgan
puts 1t, the queens government at that
time had no power to prevent the landing
OF troops from any quarter no power to
protect itself against invasion, no power to
conduct civil government so far as the ex-
ecutive was concerned if the effort to exert
such power was antagonized by any oppos-
ing body Of people in considerable num-
bers." Liliuokalani is declared to be the
only real revolutionist, and the committee
asserts that her effort to overturn the con-
stitution Of 1SS7-which she had sworn to
uphold-was practically abdication. The
purposes of Minister Stevens and Capt
Wiltse of the Boston are Endorsed as Iegit-
innate. having no other motive than the
proper one of protecting American citizens
and preserving order. The missionary
element-so much abused by the royalistic
faction-is eulogized and given credit, at
considerable length, for all that is civilized
in the Islands While using language not
the smoothest and least Objectionable sort
the majority does not hesitate to strike
the administration. 1t does So however,
only Indirectly. Paramount Blounts re-
port. said to be most sincere and instruct
i've" is politely dscredited because the
committee has taken a little testimony Of
tn own under circumstances more ia
vorable to the development of the whole |
truth than those with which Mr.. Blount |
was brought into contact. Satisfied that |
the President never intended to use force
to accomplish I.iliuokalanfs restoration |
the committee has no great fault to find |
with him, but its hearty approval of Min |
lister Stevens action in all matters except |
that of declaring protectorate can hardly |
be regarded as otherwise than indirectly
condemnatory of the administration. |
The committee has been over-liberal, for |
1t gives the President credit to which he |
Is not entitled when 1t says that he at |
once laid before Congress 1.-THE harsh de- |
clarations'' of the ex-queen when she de- |
handed the blood Of the provisional govern
ment and its supporters. As matter Of |
fact, the President withheld the truth in |
that matter for many days, declaring its |
publication to be Incompatible with public |
interest-a conclusion which, if public and |
interests are SYNONYMOUS
Is perfectly correct. The supplemental re-
port submitted by the republican members /
ton and holds the administration respon-
sible for all that has been done by its
agents-Blount and Willis. Condemnation /
Of Stevens and the dissolution of Captain
Wiltse are the strongest and yet extreme
ly weak features of the minority report
which is very much less interesting than
The supplemental minority report signed by
Senators Butler and Turpie. in which those
statesmen declare themselves to be heartily
IN favor of the acquisition of the Islands
oy the United States. The discussion
throughout is dispassionate, and is in such
'hape that the unbiased reader can hardly
all to note the tremendous preponderan.e
If argument with which the administra
Ion Is assailed. 1t would have been much
letter for the reputation of the House of
representatives had that body waited until
he Senatorial investigation was over be-
ore declaring itself on the decidedly i'm
'ortant question which this country has
'een discussing for a year past