The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-29
HISTORY
MANGLED
IA Popular Author
Misrepresents
Hawaii.
Richard Harding Davis
In Saturday Eve.
Post.
Seeing Events OF 90 Through
Jaundiced Speetacles to Prove
America q Pirate.

The measure of Richard Harding
Davis as an historical writer may be
fairly taken in this excerpt from the
Saturday Evening Post of Dec 10, in
an article on Revolutions to Order"
In the overthrow of the Queen of the
Hawaiian Islands there was no ques-
ton of misled sympathy. On that &C.
casion our minister, John L. Stevens,
was one OF the prime movers in the
revolution and was assisted by Cap
tain Wiltse. of the cruiser Boston. How
far our Government aided and allotted
Mr.. Stevens it is difficult to determine
A letter marked ~Conhdential,' from
John w Foster, then Secretary of
State, to Mr.. Stevens, helps to explain
why the part played by our Government
is still difficult to determine In this
letter he says ''Adverting to your cur
rent dispatches in relation to the course
of political events in the Hawaiian Isl
ands. many of which are marked by you
Confidential and for obvious reasons,
| desire to suggest that you endeavor
to separate your reports into two classes.
one of which shall aim to give the mar
rative of public affairs in their open
historical aspect, and the other to be
of strictly reserved and confidential
character, reporting and commenting
| upon matters of personal intrigue and
the like SO far as you may deem neces-
sary for my full understanding of the
| situation. Many of your dispatches com
bine these two modes of treatment to
such a degree as to make their publica
| ton, in the event of call from Con-
gress or other occasion, therefore, in
expedient and, indeed. impracticab1c,
without extended omissions. In spite
| of the extended omissions it is still
possible to see throughout the course OF
the revolution the guiding hand of our
Government and its agent, Mr. Stevens.
In 1893 the passage of the Mckinley
Bill had made it impossible for the SUI
gar-planters in Hawaii, most of whom
were Americans, to carry on that in
dustry at a profit. Their only hope OF
avoiding the tariff lay in Hawaii be-
| coming part of the United States. On
account of its strategic value in the
| Pacific the United, States desired Ha-
| wall. The desires iof both the Govern
ment of the United States and of the
| American sugar planters being the same,
| they combined to overthrow the only
| obstacle to their plans-Queen Liliuoka-
| lani.
| On January IA. 1893, Queen Liliuoka-
lani prorogued the Legislature and pro-
| posed a new constitution which return
ed to the crown many powers and privi-
| leges it had formerly enjoyed. but which.
/ in previous revolution in 1887, had
! been taken from it. There was sucn
/ instant objection to this new constitu-
4 ton on the part of the Queens own
/ Cabinet that she changed her purpose
and announced to the people by word of
mouth and by proclamation that there
would be no changes except by methods
authorized in the then existing laws.
But this threat of new constitution
gave those who were plotting against
| her Government the excuse for which
! they were waiting. Although the Queen
had entirely given up her idea of new
constitution, the Americans in the city
of Honolulu pretended to believe that
their liberties were in danger. and they
assembled in mass meeting and arranged
Committee of Safety and organized
for their defense
| THE NURSERY MAIDS INSUR-
RECTION.
! A Mr.. Lopez, who was invited to lead
the volunteer forces of the foreign ele-
ment, declined the honor unless he could
first talk to the American minister AT
the Legation Mr.. Stevens gave him the
assurance he desired The next day
although a state of public peace prevail
ed; although the ladies of the town
with their children, were driving about
in their carriages, shopping and paying
calls; and while the benches in the
plazas were occupied by nursemaid;
and their charges. Minister Stevens
asked his side-partner, Captain Wiltse
to land force of marines and severa
Calling guns for the protection of Amer
lean interests. Instead of surrounding
the property of American citizens il
the business part of Honolulu, the
American forces were stationed outside
the Government building and near the
Palace. Mr.. Wodehouse and other ad
!. herents of the Queen drove to the lie
: CATION and asked Stevens at whose re
quest the marines were landed HI
said: The ladies about town are YER
nervous and fear trouble"
Mr.. Wodehouse replied: ''Why. thu
town. Mr.. Stevens, is perfectly quiet
} as quiet as a Quakers' meeting Wer,
you asked by the Queens Government
TO land these troops. and why are tht
forces occupying an armed position OIL
the principal square of the town. com
handing the Palace and Government
building?"
Mr. Stevens made no answer.
I'VE left says Wodehouse, ''and arr
satisfied that Stevens means to assist
movement from the Committee of Safe
ty." The Queens marshal ordered the
troops at his command to be prepared
for an attack upon the Government ant
called for volunteers. He assembled
them at the police barracks and awaiteo