The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-11

lulu. Harrison beheld the deed, but was
powerless. Stevens came home to die IN
less than twenty months, his last days
rendered miserable by the cruel and false
accusations brought against him by the
defenders of the Cleveland policy.
It is proper, and perhaps it will be
interesting, to print now d private let
ter written to The Sun by Mr.. Stevens
after he had been unconStitutonally sup
planted by Paramount Blount. and then
superseded legitmately by Minister Will
lis. The date is at time when Cleve-
land and his agents were doing shame
full work for Liliuokalani and the mon-
archy; but the letter from Mr.. Stevens
does not refer to that infamy. but speaks
with courage and hope of the broader
national aspects of the question::
81 hope it will not seem presuming II
I express to you my sincere apprecia-
ton of the ability. thoroughness and wise
patriotism with which you maintain the
American side of the Hawaiian question.
Personally, I have the strongest reasons
for expressing to you a gratitude which
l shall cherish as long as this life lasts
for the completeness of your vindication
of my course at Honolulu. But motives
and objects of your discussion of the
subject rise far above any special regard
for persons and parties.
80 far as / am competent TO Judge.
you have considered every essential fact
in the problem, and have met success
fully every objection to annexation with
signal lucidity, fairness and force. How
any intelligent American, who has care
fully considered the relation Of the North
Pacific to the vast future American in
terest in that grand ocean domain, can
be Indifferent into whose control shall
pass the Hawaiian Islands, to you as to
ma ia nrpfnttnhlu oGtnpiGhinp
manship, civilization and humanity de-
mand that those islands shall at once
and forever become territory of the Unit
ed States.
"Too many of the New York newspa-
pers do not yet seem to understand that
the United States is a great nation, and
that we cannot rid ourselves of the re-
sponsibilities of great nation, If we
would. Yours sincerely,
John J.. Stevens.
Augusta, Me, July 49, 1893"
We had had previously no acquaintance
with Mr.. Stevens. In November, 1892 we
had no knowledge of impending events
at Honolulu, or of General Harrison's
Hawaiian policy, But at that time The
Sun became a steadfast advocate of an
neXation; and IL has remained such un-
til annexation is at last an accomplished
fact-a fact accomplished in spite OF
Cleveland and his policy of infamy; in
spite of four years OF postponement on
account of the circumstance of Cleve-
lands presence in the White House;
and in spite of the labored obstacles and
obstructions devised by the timid, the
selfish and the nercenary.
o.
The policy of infamy Is finally defeat
ed, thanks most of all to William Me-
kinley, for whom fortune reserved the
honor of achieving the work which Blaine
and Harrison and Stevens began. In the
crowded record of the present admin
istration's services to the country no
single fact will be more conspicuous in
history than the fact that it was Pres
ident Mckinley who insisted that the
policy of infamy should be overthrown,
ana who overthrow IL, securing thereby
for this country the first accession of
territory since Stewards annexation of
Alaska. 1t is a great victory of peace.
won in time of war 1t is the initial step
I'm the orderly advance of American eX-
pansion and development on the lines
marked out by destiny for the glorious
future that is before this country. Would
that Blaine and Stevens could have lived
TO see the flag go up once more over
the beautiful Islands; this time TO fly
there forever,