Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1899-11-06
A SINGULAR DELEG ATE,
New York Sun Editorial Leader

The Honolulu newspapers have
reported with various emotions,
the appointment by president"
Dole of Mr.. ALFRED s. HART
WELL to represent the Hawaiian
anomaly at Washington.
The exact status of Mr.. DoLE's
Representative at Washington is
somewhat difficult to define His
title as announced at Honolulu. is
that of "Upofficial Territorial De
legate." Yet he is officially ap-
pointed; and his salary and ex-
penses are to be paid out of the
Hawaiian treasury, from moneys
in part collected as customs duties
on goods shipped from ports of
the United States to another port
of the United States.
He cannot be regarded as a dip
lomatic tunctionary in any sense;
for the late Republic of Hawaii
has ceased to exist
If we consider him as a com.
missioner personally representing
president" Dole and the Dole
Administration, the sinoularity OF
the performance is not less appa
rent, for Mr. DOLE himself mere.
ly represents in Hawaii the au
thority of President MCKINLEY
pending the establishment by
Congress of permanent form of
Government for the islands, aud
it is absurd for the representative
of delegated authority to send
delegate on his part back to repre-
sent him at the source of Iower.
Furthermore, it is understood
at Honolulu that Mr.. Hartwell's
mission is rather to the Lagisla.
tive than TO the Executive branch
of the Federal Government. His
title of "Unoflicial Territorial
Delegate" confirms this view of
the matter. The organized Terri
tories, although not entitled to
Representatives in Congress-, are
permitted by law to elect Dele
gates who have seats in the House
with the right to debate, but not
to vote. But such Delegates are
chosen by the ballots of the peo-
pie of the Territories sending
them, while Mr.. DoLE's Delegate
is not elected by the people Of
Hawaii but appointed by Mr..
DOLE with the concurrence of a
majority of his "Cabinet."
Iu order to avoid a headache in
figuring out the status of "Dele-
gate" HARTwELL at Wash ngton, it
will be safest. perhaps, to assume
that he is a Paramount, sent out
of the political chaos in Hawai-:
oy those who are interested 10
maintaining chaos, TO lobby
against any Legislation threaten
ing the continuance OF that chaos.
We regret to add that whatever
doubt there may be about the ma
iure OF Mr.. HARTwELL's proposed
functions at Washington, there ia
aot the slightest doubt about the
unfortunate character Of the Sc.
lection of this particular person.
Mr.. HARTwELL was one of the
most prominent individuals in the
cowa,dly and selfish clique who
plotted, just before DEwEY's vict.
Dry at Manila, to commit the Hs-
Saiian Government to declar-
alton of neutrality as between the
United States and Spain. If h.
could have had his way at Homo.
ulu, early in May Of 1898, he
would either have deprived US OF
the estimable advantage of using
Honolulu as a station in our mill
tary and naval operations against
the enemy, or have brought us in
to conflict with France, or Germ
any, or Japan, or some other pow
err. and thus changed, perhaps, all
subsequent history.
That is the indisputable record
IF Mr.. DoLE's "Unofficial Dele
gate" to the Government at Wash
ington. No wonder the Evening
Bulletin of Honolulu asks, in
amazement and disgust, "What
has Hawaii done that it should be
represented before Congress by a
nunaallor NJ thia tuna 90