Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-03
PROF. ALEXANDER.
The Surveyor General of Hawaii Be-
fore the Senate Committee,
FUTURE MEETINGS AND THEIR SCOPE;
Speculation as to Senator Morqant
Position Now.
A B OR NJ E r r E p o r T .

the Senate held its third session this morn
ing. 1t was 1920 o'clock when Senator
Gray. who, has been going to Wilmington
every night during the holidays arrived
from the train, and made a call quorum
together with Senators Morgan and Frye.
Work was begun at once on the ekamina-
ton Of Prof Alexander, the surveyor gen.
eral OF Hawaii, who has been waiting for Q
hearing since the investigation began last
Wednesday. He was on hand promptly with
large bundle OF documents.
Prof William d. Alexander is perhaps the
most important witness the subcommittee
has yet had before it. He has been upwards
Of twenty years the surveyor general OF Ha-
wall, and is a man of scholastic attain
ments and noted the historian OF this
interesting country. Although born on the
islands. the son Of American parents Prof
Alexander is a graduate of Yale. class 1855;
is fellow of the Royal Geographical Soci-
ETY.. author of an Hawaiian grammar and OF
the standard history of the islands For q
considerable time Prof. Alexander was pres
ident OF Oahu College at Honolulu
Prof. Alexander's Testimony.
The witness discussed points OF interna-
tional law, drew comparisons and cited pre-
cedents. and condemned the report OF Conn
missioner Blount as being based upon false
premises and supported only by ex-parte
evidence. which misrepresented and dis
torted the actual facts
BlOunt Suppressed Information,
One point brought out in the examinations
was the fact that Commissioner Blount
called upon Prof. Alexander as an author.
ity for Information concerning the islands,
the people. the government and the re-
cent troubles. for the purpose of, as the
commissioner informed the witness In
cooperating IL in the report he intended to
make to his government. That report was
made public long after Prof. Alexandes
reached Washington. and he is said to
have Informed the committee that while
some OF the matter he prepared had been
suppressed"
formed the committee that the provisional
government, conscious OF the Justice of tn
cause and believing that Mr.. Blounto
chief mission was to report on the offer of
annexation. spared neither time nor money
In furnishing him with full details on any
SUBJECT he sought TO investigate Mr..
blount, however. he said carefully con-
ceaied his real object I'm all his dealings
with the representatives Of the proyigional
government. The witness said that at Ne
Blounts request. and with the approval OF
the cabinet, he had prepared a careful re-
view Of the past history and present own.
ership or the lands Of the islands, touch.
ing on constitutional history on the r,olifi.
cal events of kalakeua's reign. the causes
that led u the revolution. and giving an
account OF the unfinished annexation treaty
of 1854. Prof. Alexander stated thar Mr..
Blount printed the part relating to this
treaty, a comparatively unimportant ma ter
of ancient history, but expuneed ali ths
rest substituting therefor statements OF
the royalist cabinet and their friends.
knowing that he dhe witness was an
eye witness Of the revolution. and having
talked about It with him. still. Prof. Alex
ander said. Mr.. Blount never asked to have
him give his testimony concerning #
BtOunt's Report Criticised,
Mr.. Alexander supported and indorsed ths
statements made In the open letter by Min.
lister Thurston. and denied the accuracy Of
Mr.. Blount's report asserting that the
American troops took no part in. the over
throw Of the queen. and declaring that TO
one who knew the location Of the buildings
IL was impossible to understand Mr..
Blounts remarks relative to the strategic
position Of Arion Hall. where part OF the
United States marines were placed.
Mr.. Alexander is said to have called at
tention TO number of serious" omissions
In Mr.. Blounts historical matter, prominent
among these being his failure In discussing
the legislative session OF 1892 TO even alluo0
TO the struggle between the friends and op-
ponents OF what were knowa the lottery
and opium rings. or to the final passage oe
the lottery bill and the part the queen is
said to have taken I'm IL.
While not questioning the honesty Of shs
Presidents commissioner. Prof. Alexander
condemned his methods in pursuing his In
vestigation as being similar to those os q
prosecuting attorney. He asserted that tho
correspondence would show that he had pre-
judged the case from the outset, while ell
through his report appeared an undisg,i,sed
and deplorable hostility 10 the American
colony on the islands.
1t is understood that Prof Alexander, for
the purpose Of showing what he said were
inaccuracies, took up Mr.. Blount's report
ana analyzed it, making corrections aud
giving his own version of the facts as they
were known TO him. In one part OF mis- re-
port Mr.. Blount makes the statement that
1.-The story OF the division tof the lands of
1s45) is discreditable TO king, chiefs and res
idents." This statement. Mr.. Alexander as
serted. extraordinary I'm its character, was
so fagrantly unjust and so opposed to tho
verdict of all other authorities on the SUBJ
ject that IL discredited Mr.. Blount's 5uds.
ment on all other subjects.
Failure Sessions.
The session today lasted only until -
o'clock, owing TO the fact that the Senate
then began its session. 1t is probable that
the meetings will be held regularly in the
morning, from 10 to l.. from now until
the investigation is concluded. A number
OF naval officers now in the city and within
easy reach are soon to be called. and II 10
not certain whether the investigation will
DE Carried 10 tne extent OF summOnlng exs
Minister Stevens and Commissioner Blount,
although IL is understood that the republi-
can members of the committee will insist
upon their appearance TO give the commit
tee a chance for a comparative estimate oe
the two men.
senator Morxan's Position.
General attention has OF late been called
to the past utterances of Senator Morgan,
chairman Of the committee on foreign rela.
tions of the Senate. in respect TO the rela-
ton between the United States and the Ha-
waiian Islands. 1t has been known generally
that in the past he has favored close COM
mercial relationship. IL not actual annex
alton, and IL has been generally conceded
that. in order to support the action OF the
President in his effort TO restore the queen,
Mr.Morgan would be obliged TO depart from
all the precedents OF his official life, which
have tended to a policy quite opposite 10
that OF the President. His views on the sub
tect OF the island are very pontedly out
lined In a report made by him on the oath
Of January, 1884, being the majority report
from the committee on foreign relations on
the subject OF the extension of the reci-
procity treaty then I'm force between the
Hawaiian Islands and the United States. 4
joint resolution had been referred to the
committee providing for the giving of notice