The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-03-04

Inc OdTK -. ~. Allen OrlngS San
Francisco papers from the 18th 20
the 18th ult., or one days later
news than has been received by way
ofVancouver. There is nothing new
in the Hawaiian situation or the
cable proposition. The San
Francisco papers of the 18th
contained the news sent from
here by the Mariposa, and
also some that was manufac-
tured there. The Morning Call has
an editorial on a startling, faxed
up story about the tUrturing of
Captain Davies and other prisoners
by the Hawaiian officials. Below
is given the editorial comments of
the Call on that story and the ex-
queens trial, as also that Of the
Chronicle on Hawaiian affairs:
Judging from the published nara
tive of Captain William Davies the
Government of Hawaii has probably
got itsel into trouble. Captain Davies
com mmanded the steamer WaimanalO,
which is supposed to have conveyed
the arms used by the insurgents in the
late rising. He refused to give testi
mony which might criminate him.
self, or his friends; whereupOn he was
strung up by the thumbs tO riDgbolts,
with his legs bound below the knees,
and a box placed below him so that
h 10 fCn II Il al
this agony for some time. Sweat
poured from his body; the tendons of
his limbs stood out like strands of
rope; blOod-vessels knOtted on his
swelling arms and legs. He begged
for a drop of water; but he held out
till he tainted. When he recovered
CONSCIOUSNESS he answered the ques
tiOns put to him rather than endure
repetition of the torture.
If all this be true the American
people will want a reckoning with the
Dole Government. For half q century
we have insisted on q regime of extra
territoriality with China and Japan,
because we were unwilling to subject
Americans to the barbarOus outrages
used in the administration of criminal
Justice in those countries. When the
United States has been asked to relax
this regime, the answer has always
been that we would never, never let
an American be put to torture in
foreign country. We only assented to
treaty providing for the future abol-
itiOn of extraterritorial Jurisdiction in
japan when the new japanese code
abolished torture in that country.
Now it seems torture is used in the
republic of Hawaii and is practiced on
American citizens. That cannot be
endured for an instant.
1t is. evident that there will be a
great deal of conflicting testimony in
the trial of the ex queen, LiliuOka-
hni. The Government officials who
are trying her on charges of mispris-
ion of treason rely, at least in part,
on diary which they say she kept,
and which is now in their possession.
According to this document, she was
fully apprised of the conspiracy, and
aided and abetted it, without taking
an active part. On the other hand, |
when her examination was concluded,
she filed with the court written |
denying any knowledge of |
or participation in the revolution.
The prospect is thus that the issue |
wilt be narrowed down to one of vera |
city. The partisans Of the queen will |
probably be as swift witnesses as the |
partisans of the Government. The /
court will probably not be impartial. |
In revolutionary times such courts
never are.
Still, it is hardly to be believed /
that the Government will invite the /
of the civilized world by |
infiIcting on LiliuOkalani punish
mt Mt which would not be in cOnsOn-
ance with modern ideas. In our day |
we have seen manY queens driven
from their thrones but no harm came /
to any of them. The days of capital
punishm, Mt or even prolonged i'm
prisonmeLt for dethrOred mOnarchs |
are over. Mrs. DOmini- will prOba- |
bly, be sentenced 10 nothing more than |
exile. That will he hard, as her pro
perty is in Hawaii; but very SOW
ereigu who does not agree with his /
subjects is liable TO that lnrOnven- |
ience. The wa;eriDg-places o. Europe |
are full of wandering m"naIchS who
have to trust to stewards to ad niuis-
ter their estates.
If LiIiuOkalani is an intelligent
woman, she must have realized long
ago that a Hawaiian monarchy at the
present day is impossible. 1t was a
farce in the time of kalakaua, as III
her own. 1t WAS worse than the prin
cipalities which the British Govern
ment suffers TO exist in India on the
condition that the prince takes his or