HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS

Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, November 16, 1893.

HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

TEXT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN MINISTER WILLIS.

Queen Liliuokalani to Be Restored Only on Condition That Members of the Provisional Government Be Granted Full Amnesty—The Matter Probably Settled Yesterday—Minister Thurston Still Remains In Washington.

   WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.—The chief interest in the Hawaiian situation now surrounds the instructions given to Minister Willis and the contents of the cipher message which was received after the arrival of the [ship] China. While the same answer regarding instructions to foreign ministers is made at the state department, "That such instructions are never made public," yet it seems that from time to time something surely does come out. A number of people are now quite familiar with some important features of the instructions. There is no doubt of Minister Willis being instructed to make the restoration of Queen Liliuokalani conditional upon full amnesty being granted to the men who engaged in the revolution and overthrew the queen.

   Minister Willis, it is understood, was instructed to insist on this, because the president felt that the revolution would not have occurred had it not been for the assistance and co-operation of this government through the late Minister Stevens.

   Mr. Willis was instructed to say to these members of the provisional government that the president felt he ought to protect them to this extent because he believed that had it not been for the authority of the United States used by Minister Stevens they would never have been led into the revolution. The instructions, it is thought, requested the minister to first call upon the queen and tell her the president believed a great wrong had been done her and after insisting upon amnesty declare the intention to again place her in the control of the government.

   She was also to be informed that it was the desire of the president that she should placate those who had been instrumental in her overthrow and sustain herself in authority without the assistance of the United States.

   From the cipher dispatch it is believed that the state department has been informed that these conditions are satisfactory to the queen and had been accepted by her at the time the China sailed.

   To [Provisional] President Dole, it is understood, that Minister Willis was instructed to say that the president felt that in protecting the non-interference policy of the government he felt it necessary to decide the matter as if a dispute had been referred to him and restore the queen, and in sustaining the queen, the president hoped to have the hearty co-operation of the members of the Dole administration, which he felt was entitled to commendation for what it had done to maintain peace in the islands since it had been in existence.

   After having righted what it considered a wrong done by this government, the United States would assume the policy of non-interference in affairs [with] other powers.

   Those best qualified to speak for President Cleveland and Secretary Gresham, who have been willing to speak at all, have expressed great confidence that ex-Queen Liliuokalani had already been restored to her throne no later than last Wednesday.

   The equally confident assertions of those best acquainted with the character and resources of the provisional government that she certainly could not have been restored without the use of force, has made no difference apparently in the confidence of those who claim that she has been restored. This has led to the inference that Minister Willis' instructions were to employ force if necessary to accomplish the purpose for which he was sent, and that marines were probably landed in Honolulu on Wednesday if any objection was offered by the provisional government to the program proposed.

Will Overhaul the Books.

   ALBANY, NOV. 16.—State Treasurer-elect A. B. Colvin was in the city and said: "I have noticed the attacks upon the state treasurer's office regarding the banks of deposit and the favoritism shown in loaning the state money. I shall give the books of the office a thorough overhauling by experts. I have the assurance of the comptroller-elect, Mr. Roberts, that he will give me his assistance, and we intend to deposit the state funds only with banks of large responsibility and assured great credit. I intend to probe to the bottom also all the allegations of fraud in the office that have been made."

Mr. Duffey's Expenses.

   ALBANY, NOV. 16—Mr. Hugh Duffey, the Democratic candidate for State Treasurer, has filed his certificate of election expenses with the Secretary of State. He gave $2,000 to the Democratic state committee and $100 to the Cortland county Democratic committee, expending $2,689 in all.

STRONG MEASURES.

Governor Flower Will Assist the Deputy District Attorneys.

   ALBANY, Nov. 16 —Governor Flower to-day sent the following telegram to Hon. George G. Reynolds and Edward M. Shepard, the gentlemen whom he recommended to the district attorney as proper persons to prosecute the recent election frauds in Kings county:

   ALBANY, N. Y., NOV. 16, 1893. I see by published interviews that you have some hesitation in accepting the commission of the district attorney to take charge of the prosecutions in the recent election frauds. I sincerely hope you will not refuse to undertake the task. Your name was suggested by me to the district attorney after careful reflection and I believe yon are particularly fitted for undertaking the work, and the approval which your selection has received from the public shows how much confidence the people have in you. I am assured by the district attorney that the entire machinery of his office will be placed at your command and that you will have sole and complete charge of these prosecutions. If this is not sufficient you may count on the active cooperation of myself and the attorney general to the full extent of our power. If you are hampered in any improper way in bringing criminals to justice I shall expect you to inform me of it, and you shall have whatever assistance I can give you in the premises. Be assured that there is no other disposition here than to vindicate the law and to bring the guilty to justice, no matter where they may be found.

   ROSWELL P. FLOWER.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Protection of the Ballot.

   The Republican legislature of 1894 will have no duty more imperative in the opinion of the Utica Herald than the completion of ballot reform. The demonstration of defects in the present election laws—meaning the laws governing registration, the form of ballot, the regulations of casting and counting the same—is complete. Law-abiding Democrats, equally with Republicans, are awake to the wrongs of Gravesend of Albany, of Troy, of Buffalo and New York. They realize the perils to society that lie in the way these outrages tend. They join in the demand for real reform. They have spoken at the polls, and in mass meetings are insisting not only that punishment for past offenses be inflicted, but that legislation shall protect the franchise in future.

   Registration must be so guarded that it will be impossible for the McKanes, of whatever party or place, to fill out voting lists with thousands of names where only hundreds of voters live. If it be said the present law is good enough, as enforced, it is only to say the present law is ineffective, for it is set at naught where protection against frauds is most needed. The law is only as strong as its weakest point; and a law which makes possible a registration in Gravesend which, carried through the state, would make the voting population of New York 3,000,000, needs no further demonstration of its inefficiency as a guard against wrong.

   Ballot reform was absolutely blocked for years by David B. Hill. When at last public sentiment could not be defied longer with safety, an appearance of yielding gave us the costly, cumbersome multiple ballot plan which we have— with the paster joker. This paster was invented to defeat ballot reform, and with the provision permitting heelers, in the guise of instructors, to accompany voters into the booths, it accomplishes its work save when a long suffering people rise in their might and overwhelm tricks and tricksters, as on Nov. 7, 1893.

   A single ballot is agreed upon by the best men of all parties as imperatively needed. The elimination of the paster is demanded by all who are content with equal chances at the polls. Its retention can not be defended on honest grounds. It loads candidates with expenses as heavy as were incurred under the old law. The paster was the price of Governor Hill's signature to the election law which provided the secret booth for the voter and forbade poll workers to invade the voting places.

   There will need to be more stringent provisions to guard the latter reform. At the late election soliciting of votes was carried on at the very doors of polling places, and even within. The quiet which marked the first trial of the law was broken, in great measure, no doubt, because of the approval of frauds by the organization in control of the state. It is seldom a law or an order, can be made self-executing. Administered by conscientious men the present law has admirable provisions. Amendment to it must be made in terms whose evasion will be an avowal of intent to defraud.

   An honest count is as important as an honest vote. The two are inseparable if our form of government is to stand. It will be necessary for the legislators to devise additional safeguards to throw round the initial canvassing of the contents of the ballot boxes. It will not do to permit the inspectors to lock themselves from observation. But it is manifestly needful that they be permitted to do their work without being jostled by irresponsible crowds, and without outsiders handling the ballots.

   A uniform non-partisan election inspector law will be a necessary feature of the reform legislation. To this no honest-minded citizen can object. It is the other kind of citizen who makes it necessary.

Political Splinters.

   McKinley's clear majority in Ohio over Prohibitions and Populists is 40,000. His plurality is fixed at 81,347.

   Wages have fallen with prices the country over, as every protectionist has always argued they would and must. The only question now is whether a free trade tariff shall keep prices and wages where they are, or whether the maintenance of protection shall slowly restore them.—Philadelphia Press.

   If bloodshed in Hawaii is the result of the policy of the administration in Washington, as seems likely, it will add an interesting phase to Mr. Cleveland's military record. It will also show that a man may create a war who can not be induced to participate in one.—New York Commercial Advertiser.

   Speaking of the Gravesend bully, McKane, Rev. Dr. Storrs said at the Brooklyn indignation meeting: "If there is anything needed to carry this crime to its awful yet ridiculous climax, it is the fact, as I am informed, that the chief criminal is a superintendent of a Sunday school. [Great laughter.] His religion as taught in the Sunday-school must be like that mentioned by Lady Wortley-Montague, 150 years ago. She said that, in view of the profligacy of the times, it would soon be commanded by an act of parliament to strike the "not" out of the commandments, and put it into the creed."

Vertical Handwriting.

   Professor Joseph B. Witherbee, writing in the Popular Science Monthly, calls for universal reform in penmanship. He says the demand among business men now is for a style of penmanship that can be written rapidly and that can be easily read. The present fashion, with its sloping letters, is so far from meeting these requirements that commercial firms complain boys now do not begin to write so well as the boys of a generation ago did.

   The kind of hand that will fill the bill, Professor Witherbee finds, is the straight up and down style, the letters being written without tendency to slant in any direction. He claims that this is the natural style, and that the slanting chirography is only obtained after long and painful effort on the part of the pupil. The vertical handwriting is much more easily read than the sloping one, just as the plain letters of ordinary print are more easily read than italics.

   In England the reform has so far progressed that the civil service examiners require the upright writing on the part of applicants and will accept no other. This is on account of its greater legibility. Vertical style copybooks have already been published in England, and on the whole we may look upon this as the handwriting of the future.

Tariff On Glove Materials.

   GLOVERSVILLE, N. Y., Nov. 16.—Congressman Curtis held an interview with prominent Fulton county glove manufacturers in this city in regard to tariff legislation. Afterward the workingmen's committee placed a petition in Mr. Curtis' hands signed by Mayor Jordan and other citizens and nearly all the workers on fine gloves and fine leather in this city [are] against tariff reduction on fine goods.

An Open Letter.

To the Taxpayers of Solon:

   I wish to submit to your honorable attention the following statement and suggestions: There is to be raised by tax, the coming tax levy for town purposes the sum of $8,848.30, and of this sum $1,242 must be in the collector's hands prior to Dec. 28, 1893. I would counsel all to husband their expenses and make careful preparation for payment, and an early payment of their tax very soon after the book is placed in the collector's hands. Additional to the above mentioned sum is to be added the state and county tax.

   I wish to state farther that it seemed best by you, against all wishes and protestations of my own to place me at the official head of your board. I have, in the eight months of my service, to the best of my ability, done everything I could in the interest of our bonded town. I have spent to exceed sixty days of that time in my official duties. I have traveled in your interests to exceed one thousand miles—seven times to Syracuse alone, and paid all needful expense from my own money. I have in the purchase of bonds at their original face, without interest, saved to the town a small amount, about $1,500, and in some other matters a few small items.

   Why I mention all these statements is, that I am soon to tender your honorable board my resignation as your supervisor. I trust that my successor may be more successful in your interests, and have at heart quite as fully to do everything that may lighten your taxation, and take off wisely the bonded indebtedness that so like a pall covers every home in Solon. I now tender to you as the best proof of my interest and sympathy the donation of my entire bill of $189.07 that has accumulated during my administration of your affairs.

   Respectfully,

   J. G. BINGHAM,

   Supervisor of Solon.

BREVITIES.

   —People owning turkeys should keep them under lock and key.

   —The weather last night was a very cheerful omen to coal dealers.

   —Venus is a conspicuous object in the early evening sky not distant from the sunset point.

   —Mr. Jacob Grassman has accepted a position in T. P. Button's barber shop at 24 Main-st.

   —Charles K. Harris of Milwaukee, who wrote "After the Ball," has just been married to a Chicago girl.

   —The Loyal circle of King's Daughters will meet in their rooms, 9 Clinton-ave., Saturday, Nov. 18, at 2:30 P. M.

   —The music loving students of Cornell university are preparing to issue a new book of Cornell songs. Prof. Dann is at the head of the enterprise.

   —The Alpha Chautauqua circle will meet next Monday evening, Nov. 20, with Miss Louise Hawley, 73 Railroad-st. Visitors are especially welcome.

   —Warden Stout of Auburn prison says that Oliver Curtis Perry, the train robber, is the most troublesome man he has in his charge among the 1,150 prisoners.

   —The supper given by the Woman's auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. will be held in the parlors of the Presbyterian church on Friday, Nov. 24, from 5:30 to 8 o'clock P. M.

   —The "Paul Kauvar" company left with their special baggage car of scenery on the 10 o'clock train this morning for Syracuse, where they play in the Wieting [opera house] the balance of the week.

   —The key to success is intelligent advertising; the lock it fits is public confidence and the door it opens is prosperous business. Have you a key? If not, call at The STANDARD office and obtain one.

   —A rehearsal by those who are to take part in the minstrel show to be given under the auspices of the Cortland City band at the Opera House the middle of next month will be held in the band rooms to-night.

   —A bushel of corn makes four gallons of whiskey which retails for $16. Out of this the government gets $3, the railroad $1, the manufacturer $4.60, the retailer $7, the farmer who raised the corn gets 40 cents, and the man who drinks the whiskey gets delirium tremens.—Exchange.

   —The project of having a colored people's celebration at Cortland next Fourth of July is already being agitated. It is proposed to secure some distinguished colored orator for the occasion and have a great blow-out. Samuel Bolden has the matter in charge.

   —We publish most unwillingly, and we are sure that the taxpayers of Solon will read with equal unwillingness, the letter from Supervisor Bingham announcing his determination to resign his office. It is rarely that a town is so well and so generously served as Solon has been by Mr. Bingham, and the resignation of such an officer is cause for profound regret.

   —Some of our younger lads, says the Marathon Independent, have been enjoying a very dangerous pleasure, as it were, recently by purchasing 2 and 3 cents worth of 22-caliber cartridges and shooting them off between two stones. Upon calling for larger ones, Mr. F. W. Crane of whom they had made their purchases, became in possession of information as to their doings and stopped their buying them for such purposes. As luck would have it, none of the boys were accidently hurt. Such amusement is very dangerous and should not be upheld.

Rear End Collision.

   The passengers in the 10 o'clock vestibule train were considerably shaken up this morning by a rear end collision which luckily did not result in any more damage than frightening those on board and startling those at the station who witnessed it. A freight train was backing down the southbound track and was within a few feet of the rear end of the vestibule. The latter was just pulling out when Beard & Peck's ambulance arrived with Mr. D. C. McGraw, who was to be taken to Binghamton. The conductor gave the engineer of the vestibule the signal to back up for the passenger. When the two backing trains met there was a concussion which made the passengers jump but, on finding that nothing very serious had resulted, they resumed their seats with a sigh of relief. A brakeman seeing the danger of the two trains colliding quickly jumped to the rear end of the freight train and put on the brakes. This probably made the shock lighter than it would have been had he not done so.