The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-05
The Correspondent Writes of
the Rumors.
Apparently the Inside-Why January
Il Was Not Ce1ebra ted-The Diff
Guilty with the Foreign Off1ce-Min-
lister Willis Heritage -Results.'

dONOLOLU, Jan. H-We have
had something to talk about the last
week that has raised gossip to the
level of politics. We have had a na-
tional holiday that may lead to inter
national complications.
You may have forgotten that on
January II, 1898, revolution occurred
on these islands which overthrow a na-
tive queen and substituted republic
of white men. AS a matter of fact,
white men have ruled Hawaii for
many years so that the change of
Government was much less radical
than is generally imagined, 1t was
as inevitable as fate. This white man
stopped bending the pregnant hinges
of the knee to monarch, who want
ed power to which Queen Victoria
would not dare to aspire-Liliuoka- :
lani's cabinet was made up of white
men and half whites, chosen for their
tress. When the test came the queen
alone stood by her guns. She, at
least, had the courage of her desires
and is entitled to a certain amount Of
sympathy for paying the penalty of
them. Then sons and grandsons of
missionaries, whose cry had always
been "Hawaii for HawAiians,n hauled
down the royal flag and raised the
stars and stripes. A Provisional Gov
eminent made up of capital and
brains administered the laws pending
annexation to the United States.
This Government was Immediately
recognized at Washington. Mr..
Blount was sent as special envoy and
Mr.. Willis as envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary.
Other Nations Hold AIoof.
For this Republic to ignore January
18th would be as amazing as for the
United States to turn against the
Fourth of July; hence this anniver-
sary was celebrated with great eff
fusion in 1894. Every nation repre-
sented here diplomatically refused to
take part on the ground that the Pro-
visiOnal Government had not been
recognized by them. On being invited
to cooperate, Mr.. Willis referred the
whole matter to our State Depart
ment and was upheld in his policy of
iuaction. [ hope some profound stu
acy will explain to readers of The
Times Herald, including myself, how
the United States can with decency
ignore the national holiday of a coun-
try whose Government, though called
provisional, they have acknowledged.
l am so stupid as to be confounded.
January II, 1895, passed by without
any observance for the grave reason
that eleven days before had occurred
crazy insurrection which cost young
Charles Carter his life and the ex-
queen her liberty. Men were under
arms and there was no cause for re-
jOiciDg.
American Guns EAre Silent.
This year, however, the kaleidos-
cope had changed and the Hawaiian
Government invited foreign nations
to celebrate the anniversary. Consuls
and Consular agents of Germany,
Italy, Spain, China, Mexico, etc,
cheerfully assented ran up their flags
Not so the diplomatic corps, repre-
sented by the United States minister
and the British, Japanese and French
commissioners. Not so the United
States mano of war Bennington that
all day long was as dumb as ''a paint
ed ship upon painted ocean," What
was the matter? Well, my bird, the
American eagle, has just swooped
down from "Punchbowl" to tell me
what he has found out.
'It amounts to this" says the
American eagle, whose feathers and
temper are very much ruff1ed. We've
put both feet in it this time, when it
was our business to let bygones be
OygOnes and endeavor to smooth out
seams largely Of our own making
The Hawaiian Government notified
the diplomatic corps of the anniver-
sary several days in advance, where
upon these august fuuctionaries con-
ferred by note to decide upon line
of action "
"Who is dean of the corps?"
"The American minister He out
ranks every one else. You ought to
know that without being tolj,H re-
piled my bird testify.
pardon me, what was the matter?"
"Mr. Willis"
"Mr. Willis! He's one OF the kindest
and beat intentioned men in the
world; as for Mrs. Willis, she's
charming"
Eyes, yes. yes, that's all very well,