Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-11
Mr.. THURSTON'S STATEMENT
He Discusses the Problem That oonfronts
the Hawaiian Government
Leniency Has Been Tried With Appar-
emily No Good Re.ult-The
Men to BE Dealt With.

Mr.. Thurston, the Hawaiian minister, has
made a statement in regard torecent hap
penings in the Hawaiian Islands. espe-
cially with reference to the probable pun
ishment to be meted out to the leaders
in the recent attempt to overthrow the
government.
II have received no direct communica-
ton concerning the sentences, he said,
nor do I know precisely what action Will
be taken; but from my intimate acquaint-
ance with all of the Hawaiian authorities,
and their characters and methods, can
state positively that all trials will be open
and fair; that the accused will be allowed
the assistance of counsel of their own
choosing. who will be allowed the fullest
right of REORGANIZATION and of defense;
that there will be no convictions which are
not based upon the clearest evidence, and
that the authorities win be as len1ent In
the infliction of punishment as is consist
ent with their duty to protect the commu-
nifty from further outbreak, with possibly
far more bloodShed than ATTENDED the re-
cent outbreak.
eff there is any particular policy In Which
the Hawaiian government has erred our
ing the past two years 1t Is In having peen
too lenient in dealing with those who have
continuously schemcd to overthrow 1t, first
by strategic diplomacy and then by force
What Is the Government to Dot
He reviewed the history of the revolu-
tionary leaders. and asked, What Is the
government Of Hawaii to do in the mat
ter?
Already during its short existence he
continued there have been two domestic
conspiracies to overthrow 1t by force Is
the government to condone every of1ense
that can be committed against a govern
ment, and upon capturing insurrectionlsts
in the act of shooting down it's citizens al
low them to again so free to repeat the
operation at the first convenient opportu-
nifty?
1.-The problem that has been forced upon
President Dole, and which he and his al
visers are now forced, unaided and In the
presence Of hostile influences, to solve, Is
one which would prove task to greater
men. The problem is not how to achieve
revenge. 1t is how to prevent Hawaii from
gravitating into the catalogue of chronic
revolution; how to eliminate the standing
menace to peace which hangs. and will
continue to hang, like a black cloud over
Hawaii, until the smugglers the beach
oombers and the soldiers OF fortune who
fnfest Honolulu shall be taught that they
cannot with impunity plot murder, arouse
the passions of race hatred, and turn death
and destruction loose upon the homes OF
petuate Hawaii as the paradise and pre-
vent 1T from becoming the hell of the
Pacific.
The Men to BE Dealt With.
How the government of the republic will
solve the problem l do not know. The
gospel of forgiveness ard forbearance has
been practiced with apparently no success
full result. The men with whom the gov
ernment have now to deal have no compre-
hension of liberality,d of forbearance or
generosity. They eorStrue liberty to mean
license; mistake patience for cowardice. and
mercy for weakness.
whether in the execution of the trust
conided to President Dole and his advisers
they may deem that the future peace and
safety of Hawaii land its people requires
the death of one or, more of those who were
willing to SOW death broadcast with rifles
and dynamite, / do not know. l hope not.
But this do know, that whatever meas
Ures are taken, the white men who organ
lied the late Instruction and furnished
the arms therefor but who had the adroit-
ness to keep out of sight when there was
fighting to be done. viii be held to an equal
degree of responsibility with their native
companions who had, at least. the manli-
ness and courage to attempt to carry out
their ill-conceived plan.
This further / know; that Abraham Lin
coin did not possess more patient, loving,
kindly disposition than does Sanford B.
Dole: and that there does not exist in the
United States today more generous-Spir-
tied, peace-loving. forgiVing and unrevenge-
full community than that residing in Homo
lulu and furnishing the leaders Of the pres
ent government
whatever action Is taken by President
Dele of the government will he taken with a
solemn sense Of the duty which they owe
to civilization and to the men, women and
children whose lives and interests they are
bound to protect, and with a view to
achieve such protection with the least
severity of which the conditions will admit.
God forgive those who would impute a
sanguinary lust for blood to as brave, gen.
erOI1s 6iSjntercSted. lfberty-lOVinE and true
a band Of patriots as ever honored Christian
civilization, or add to their already heavy
burdens or increase the difficulties of their
already difficult task"