The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-30
THE QUEEN AND
HER BIC CLAIM
Hatch and Mcclellan Argue
Her Cause From Many
Standpoints.
By Ernest G.. Walker,
(Mail Special to the Advertiser.)

Mail Special to the Advertiser)
WASHINGTON, January 1S.-Queen
Liliuokalani s claim has been present.
ed before the House Committee on
Claims and is receiving considerable, i'm
petus before Congress. The arguments
in her behalf before the House com.
mittee We're apparently received with
some favor, although there was some
divergence of ground on which these
arguments were advanced.
Former Judge F. NJ. Hatch appeared
in his private capacity solely as one
who- had participated in the changes
of government in the islands. He ig-
nored the argument that the change
of government was due to the armed
forces of the United States and that
therefore this government ought to rec
ompense the Queen, in some part at
least, for the property she lost thereby
Judge Hatch pointed. out to the House
committee the various steps by which
the reigning house of Hawaii had CON
sented to a constitution and granted
two-thirds of the land to the people.
He likewise pointed out the legal steps
by which the Queen had acquired a
life estate in the crown lands There
had never been any legal act by which
she was deprived of that property right.
The United States had simply become
the beneficiary of the revolutionists of
Hawaii, who had appropriated those
lands to their own uses. The argu-
.~o1l 60 1
ed so sensible that it commanded close
attention from the committee.
Mr.. George B. Mcclellan also spoke
in behalf of the claim, but he urged
an appropriation on the ground that the
landing of marines had fastened and
aided the Overturn of the monarchy.
Yesterday the Queen granted an inter
view to several newspaper correspond
ents, an account regarding which ap-
peared in the Washington Herald of
this morning as follows:
The Interview.
Liliuokalani, former Queen of the Ha-
waiian Islands, bent with age and her
face scanned with lines of care, received
with pitiful semblance of former DAYS,
when she welded the royal scepter,
delegation of newspaper men yesterday
afternoon, through whom she made her
last appeal to the people of the United
States and members of Congress for rec
ompense for the loss of crown lands in
her native islands.
Through the interview, the former
Queen sat staring into space. inclining
her head only when interrogaseds by
Prince Cupid, her nephew, who, with
George Mcclellan, lher personal repre-
sentative, acted as spokesman
Received by Prince Cupid.
The callers were received by Prince
Cupid, or, to give him his proper title,
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. When
all had arrived, Queen Liliuokalani en-
tered the room leaning on the arms of
Princess Elizabeth Kahanu Kaauwai
Kalanianaole, and Mr. Mcclellan. She
was dressed in a holoku dress, the ma
tive royal attire.
The gown, which hung straight from
the shoulders, was of dark gray velvet,
| trimmed down the front and around the
bodice with deep red velvet and lace.
Her principal ornament was large
| cameo pin, an heirloom in the family,
made in Europe and presented to Ka-
| mehameha ii. by reigning monarch.
/ She wore only two rings and bracelet
of native design.
After greeting the newspaper men,
the former Queen lapsed into silence
until shortly before the interview was
| at an end, when she said:
81 want nothing from the United
| States but justice, and, having failed
! ~ rnaonns4iop froyn
| have decided to appeal to the people
through the press If the people knew
| the exact status of my case they would
have their representatives in Congress
do something in the natter
Has Aged Greatly.
Queen Liliuokalani is in her seventy
first year, and yesterday was the first
time she has received newspaper men il
ten years. Since being deprived Of the
Hawaiian throne in 1898, the Queer
has aged greatly.
~ have come to Washington agar
in my declining years to make a per
sonal appeal to Congress and the Amer
lean people for some compensation fo
the Crown lands of Hawaii, of which
was deprived in 1898, - said the forme
monarch. 81 shall. employ no attor
neys to prosecute my claim, but shall
leave it entirely to Prince KaIania
naole, the Delegate from Hawaii, an'
to those members of Congress who be
lieve that justice requires some action
should be taken on my behalf
The statements of the aged 0uee1
were not harsh toward the Unite
I States, and showed nothing but mill
| reproach Facts and figures were quot
ed as the strongest argument for tn
! granting of her claims.
She said the Crown lands of Hawai-
were separate from the general publ
lands of the kingdom, and were i
trust for the reigning monarch an
heirs. All the lands were divided int
three groups by Kamehameha III. On
part went to the chiefs and people. ar
other part became general public land,