994-995
| Previous Page | Next Page |
|
Senator Gray. Where is your family?
Mr. McCandless. I have two homes—one in Honolulu and the other in the State of Washington. I brought my family with me.
The Chairman. Your citizenship is in the United States?
Mr. McCandless. Yes; a citizen of both countries.
The Chairman. You are a citizen of the United States and vote under the Hawaiian constitution?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
The Chairman. But your visit to the United States had no connection with the maintenance of the Provisional Government.
Mr. McCandless. No.
The Chairman. You had no political mission over here?
Mr. McCandless. No; just on my private affairs.
The Chairman. And you were summoned here from Seattle?
Mr. McCandless. No; Ellensburg is my home.
Senator Frye. As a member of the committee of safety did you expect at any time, from the commencement of the revolution down to its close, to receive any support whatever from the American minister or the troops of the Navy?
Mr. McCandless. No.
Senator Frye. If the troops of the Navy had remained on board their ship, in your judgment, would it have made any difference in the result?
Mr. McCandless. None whatever; I do not think.
Senator Frye. Did Minister Stevens, or anybody else connected with the American Government, any officer on board the ship, or anybody in authority, convey to your committee of safety any assurances or intimations that the marines would aid the revolutionary movement?
Mr. McCandless. Not that I am aware of.
The Chairman. Have you any reason to believe that there was an understanding as to that?
Mr. McCandless. No. On the contrary, Mr. Stevens was, of course, noncommittal; said he would protect American lives and property— noncombatants.
Senator Frye. Did you know Mr. Stevens pretty well?
Mr. McCandless. Yes; well acquainted with him; met him several times in Honolulu, visited his family, and my family visited his family.
Senator Frye. Do you know what the estimate of his character was among the citizens there?
Mr. McCandless. I do not know of an American who was not proud of him as a citizen and as the American representative. I happened to have a conversation with him just the day before the flag was taken down; had business with him. I went up to call upon him to talk about some matters. That was the 31st day of March, 1 think. It was either that or the 30th. At all events it was the day before the flag was taken down. We talked of the situation some, and he stated that he was very well satisfied with everything as it was; and the flag was mentioned, I am quite sure it was, among other things, and he said the flag would never come down, and that afternoon or that day, at 11 o'clock, Mr. Blount called on President Dole and said he was going to take the flag down at 4 o'clock that afternoon. Of course, it was very much of a surprise; and it was agreed that the flag should comedown the next day.
Senator Frye. Were any demonstrations made at all in taking it down?
|
Mr. McCandless. No.
Senator Frye. What day did you leave the islands?
Mr. McCandless. The 1st day of June.
Senator Frye. The past June?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
Senator Frye. What was the character of the members of the Provisional Government—high in that country?
Mr. McCandless. Yes; as I have stated before, the men who make up the advisory council are just such a class of men as make up the boards of trade and chambers of commerce where I have lived in the cities—men of character and standing in the community.
Senator Frye. In your judgment is there any danger that the royal party may recover the possession which it had and restore the Queen?
Mr. McCandless. I do not think there is any danger. There is only one element that is irreconcilable in the Hawaiian Islands, and that is the anti-American and the half whites.
Senator Frye. What is the trouble with the half whites?
Mr. McCandless. They, of course, believe themselves a good deal better than the natives, and they have been given a great many positions under the Government that it will be impossible for them to have with the white people controlling it. The part the full natives take in the Government, the positions they have they will continue to have— the Provisional Government have no quarrel with the Hawaiian people.
Senator Frye. Do you know what troops Marshal Wilson and the Queen had at the time you had this interview with Wilson?
Mr. McCandless. I think he was allowed 75 men. Those were not under Wilson; those were in the barracks. When we took charge of the station house I should judge there were 120 to 125 men.
Senator Frye. Were they policemen, or what?
Mr. McCandless. Policemen. And he said he had a good many extras in that night.
Senator Frye. From the time the Queen undertook to promulgate the new constitution up to the time of the establishment of the Provisional Government, was any police force on the streets preserving order?
Mr. McCandless. They were on the streets just as common as they were ordinarily.
Senator Frye. They were?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
Senator Frye. Under the charge of Wilson?
Mr. McCandless. Under the command of Wilson.
Senator Frye. Did your committee of safety have any idea that in order to take control it was necessary to take those barracks where those 75 men were and the police station; did you have any such idea?
Mr. McCandless. Of course, we knew that there was no other armed resistance; and, of course, we were bound to take it.
Senator Frye. Did you not regard yourself as in full possession when you took possession of the Government building, the archives, treasury, and everything else?
Mr. McCandless. Yes; we had the Government and all the departments of the Government.
Senator Frye. Had the men in charge of the Government buildings deserted? I mean the Queen's men.
Mr. McCandless. The ministers were absent when the committee
| Previous Page | Next Page |