The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-29

fhe coming upheaval Ii came the next
afternoon at two o'clock, when thirty
gentlemen-Some say twelve.> some say
gflirty-crossed the square in front of
the Government building and, mounting
the steps, announced that they had over
thrown the monarchy and had establish
ed themselves as a provisional govern
ment. Their audience consisted of the
American marines drawn up with their
Calling guns at distance of less than
a hundred yards, and the clerks at
work in the Government building. These
latter, on seeing group of gentlemen
reading paper to themselves, leaned
from the windows in order to hear
what If was about Thus with the aid,
and only with the aid, of the marines
the provisional government was estab
lished.
Or, TO be quite fair and to give credit
where 1t is due. one should add that
on this historical occasion our marines
were assisted by the armed forces of
the revolutionists to the extent of Mr..
Oscar White with gun The presence
of Mr.. Oscar White is mentioned by
several witnesses. One testified that he
to be here with only one gun"
The Queens marshal, from the bar
racks where his troops were assembled
to the number of six hundred, sent word
to Mr.. Stevens to inquire if the United
States forces intended to recognize the
thirty gentlemen on the steps and the
belligerent Mr.. White. Mr. Stevens re-
piled that he already had recognized the
provisional government This was only
an hour after it had announced its ex-
istence. and is the record for rapid
recognition.
The Queen, with very proper APP
probation of the situation, surrendered.
not to the provisional government, but
to the naval forces of the United
States" MIR. Cleveland, who, shortly
after this occurred, became for the sec
ond time President, endeavored to undo
the work of Mr.. Stevens and to rein
state the Queen This act of justice,
however, was frustrated by Congress
which in this case represented the wish
es of majority of our people-and by
the Queen herself. For, seeing that she
was so strongly supported she demand
ed that those who had opposed her
should be beheaded. This bloodthirsti-
ness disgusted every one, and Mr..
Cleveland. who, in spite of much oppo
sition had patiently endeavored to give
her, justice, Withdrew his support
In January of 1901 our Government
! sent three gunboats to La Guayra to in.
timidate President Castro, who had
threatened to take away concession
from the Bermudez Asphalt Company
! and bestow it upon the rival Warner
! Quinlan Company, of Syracuse. The
dispute was one which should have been
/ settled through the courts and by sur
eveyor's transit, as it was entirely a ques
ton of boundaries. But the Asphalt
Trust represented that a revolution had
broken ont which threatened their prop
erty at Guanaco and the lives of their
employees. AT the time they asked for
/ warships the revolution was mildly
progressing at Catupano. place as far
! removed from the property of the As
phalt Company as is Chicago from New
York As matter of fact, nothing hap
pened to the zinc sheds and mud huts
of the Asphalt Company, and the only
result of our bullying small and friend
1y Power with our warships was to
gain its dislike and again to see Our
blueiackets mobbed by overexcited pat
riots.
! Fortunately, Our last and most impor-
tant act as an incubator for baby re-
; publics was without bloodshed, and our
sovereignty has been established at the
most important strategic point of the
two continents. apparently to the salts
faction of ali concerned.
| For, what our Government repudiated
in Walker it has accomplished in its
own way in Panama, just as the Eng.
i lish Government, after Furnishing Doc
| tor Jameson, took his unfinished rail
in hand and finally succeeded in over
throwing the Transvaal Republic. Fol
attempting to do the same thing it hat
sent him to Holloway jail. In the revo
luton in Panama the naval forces O
the United States were the deciding
factor Without their backing. anc
without our hasty recognition of tn,
new republic, after several years the rev
olutionists might have found themselve
fighting for their independence. 1t i
easy for the uniformed to laugh at til,
revolutions in Central America; but
should be remembered that the last rea
revolution in Colombia continued TO
three long years, and of those engage,
in it on both sides, ten thousand los
their lives.