Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 59, 25 November 1893 — Jas. Hyde Pratt Talks. [ARTICLE]

Jas. Hyde Pratt Talks.

On the Hawaiin Qne>tion. » gets snubbed. Washiugton. Nov. 11. —James Hyde Fratt, of Albany, is iu the Xhere is a famil% relationship between PresidentCleveiand and Mr. Pratt, Mr. Clevelan.l s grand-father having l>een a brother to his mother. Mr. Pratt had a previons acquaintance with Mr. Cleveland, having ofteu seen him while he was at Alban\ as Governor of New \ .>rk. ihe former gentleinan has also farail_\ relationship in the Hawaiian Islands aud feels very mueh exercised at the policy toward tlie islands enunciated in Secretarv Greshuiu s letter. Ke dro\e out to AVoodley this afternoon and had au half hour’s talk with the Presideut ou the subject. As a result of the talk he learned that Mr. Cleveland approves thoroughlv und wholly Secretaiy Gresham’s letter and all that is eoutaiued in it. Mr. Pratt has lived mueh in the islands and does not at all agree with Secretary Gresbam. He stated to the President that Mr. Gresham’s lotter read to him liko a special plea of an advocate for his cause. He said his statement that the depositiou of Queen Liliuokalani was accomplished by alieus was sufficient to discredit the whole lettor to his mind, for he had knowIedge that most of the leaders of tlie revolution wore Hawaiiau born and the j>arents of many of thom were Hawaiiau born,thongh of foreign parents. He urged, also, that the best natives approved of the present govorument aud only the disorderly element amongst them dosired its ovorthrow. He stated to the President his belief that in order to re-establish Queeu Liliuokalani upon the throne it would be necessary to disarm every white mau in the islands. Ho did not believe the (jueen eouhl be raaiutained on the throne a day without the inAaeuee of the armed force or authority of tho United States, The present goverument. he argned, was in possession of all the arms and resources of anthority of tiie island government; had its forccs well organized and disciplined and was able to maiutain itself against all iuternal disturbance, He then questioned the aocuracy of the statemeut that Minister Steveus aud Capt. Wiltse had beon instrumental iu serviug the revolutionists, and that the snecess of the revoiutiou was depen«lent npon the aid they rendered it. They did no more support it. he asserted. than they had been authorized by Secretary Bayard to Minister Merriil iu July, 1887, for guanliance in a simiiar period of disorder. At this poini the President asked Mr. Pratt whether he thought he bad as good opj»ortnuities of iuformation on the subject as ho (tho President) had after a careful investigation and study of the subject for eight mouths. Mr. Pratt replieil that he thought be had, since he had been in iutiuate relatious by corj respondence and otherwise with

the islanJs for OTer thirty years. The Presuient conclnded the interview by saying that he had absolote faith in the accuracy of all conclasions drawn by Secretarv Greshara, and that Miuister Steven' and C’apt. M ilt<e had committed an act of usurpation and did a wroug to a helplets power. whieh iī was the duty ot' the Mnited Statcs goverument to undo. Mr. Pratt consented to relate the substauce of his iutoniew with President Clevelaud for * pnblication by the Associated Press as detailed above. i