The Portland daily press., 1893-11-30
STEVENS SPEAKS.


granted these requests only as friendly
andscustomary courtesy.
What Blount says about the japanese
man-of-war is equally ex-parte. absurd
and egotistic. For weeks after his ar
rival in Honolulu he had not even met or
spoken with the Japanese Minister. He
had neglected to call upon the Japanese
official, and did not ask me to take him
to the japanese Legation and introduce
him to the Japanese representative.
Touching certain incidents of suspicion
and alarm in, Honolulu regarding some
of the Japanese in the Islands and the
sudden appearance there of powerful
Japanese iron-clad, in addition to a
smaller vessel there lin February and
March, prior to Mr.. Blount's arrival, I
had taken the most prompt precaution-
airy steps, and fully informed both Secre-
taries Foster and Gresham. who were at
the head of the Departm emit of State in
those months. How mucn solid foun-
dation there really was for the excite
ment and anxiety in Hawaii at that
time in regard to the japanese, it was
impossible positively to ascertain. But
the circumstances were such that |
would have been ,derelict as Minister
of the United States, which has large
pfeponderance of interests and CONNER
cial rights IN the Islands, MOTT have.
been vigilant in the discharge OF my
the. monarchy I had been authorltatlvely
Informed that the newly arrived Japan
csc Commissioner would press on the
Hawaiian government the demand that
she japanese in the Islands should have
the right of suffrage precisely as the
American European, and native born
Hawaiians enjoyed it under the con-
stitution of 1887. Not slong after the
Provisional government had been estab-
lished, prior Ito Blount's arrival, re-
ceived positive information, both from
the japanese Minister and from the
Hawaiian Ministersof Foreign Affairs,
of the renewal of the demand of..the right
of suffrage of the Japanese residents,
and there was known to be much fer.
ment, if not an organized movement,
among some of the japanese in the same
direction. had positively learned that
the Japanese Commissioner had sent, by
the steamer Claudine, which left Homo
lulu with the Hawaiian Washington
Commissioners, January 10, cable dis.
patch to his government at Toxic, re.
questing that a powerful ironclad be i'm
mediately sent to Honolulu, though it
was known that a smaller Japanese war
ship was about to arrive there from San
Francisco. I do not intend to criticize
, the japanese Commissioner for think ing
he needed another Japanese war ship at
Honolulu at that time. He was entitled
to his own opinions, and was bound only
by the instructions of his own govern
ment. 1t certainly was not strange that
in the peculiar circumstances of the Ha-
Waiian situation, there should.be anxiety
among the Americans and the members
of the Provisional government as to
what might grow out of this agitation
about japanese suffrage and certain
japanese ambitions as to the future con-
troll of the Islands. Sir Edward Ar.
nold's elaborate letter in the London
oil Of 1ar ho6 nrriu o6
there. Arnold's japanese residence and
sympathizers were believed toshave some
relation to much that had been said in
Toxic by certain European antagonists
of American interests and aims, and it
was well known that individuals both in
Japan and Hawaii, and enriched them
selves in the supply of japanese contract
labor. These persons were known to be
bitterly averse to the passage of the Is
lands under the American flag, in the
just fear that in such an event their CON
tract labor profits would no more swell
their bank accounts. The fallen queens
INSCRIPTIONS and oily attorney was
known to be one who had SHARED in this
kind of gain, and was still the agent of
this ring of spectators. 1t was feared
by the supporters of the Provisional
government that the fallen queen, the
lottery ring and palace gang would not
hesitate to promise to grant to the
lands, provided they would aid in restor-
ing Lilioukalani to the throne. Among
the nearly twenty thousand japanese on
the Islands, there were said to be many
who had served in the japanese army
at home. The.sudden appearance of the
japanese iron-clad in Honolulu harbor
could not fail to create anxiety and mis-
understanding 1t was in these peculiar
circumstances. that I felt it my imperative
duty to have repeated interviews with
my Japanese colleague. He did not at
tempt to conceal from me his wish in
that the. suffrage right should be grant
ed to the japanese residents He was
frank and earnest on the subject. was
equally frank in informing him that l
had no authority to speak ON that SUI
ject, but that in the then existing cir
cumstances and in the maintenance of
our superior rights and interests in Ha-
wall, expressed to him. the opinion that
the United States would resist any en-
croachment on the soil or sovereignty of
Hawaii, and that | would maintain this
position until otherwise instructed by
my government. These friendly inter-
views, in which the long existing friend
ship and mutual interests of our respec-
tive countries were fully gone over, gave
pacifying results to the well informed,
though they did not at once put an end
to public anxiety as to the suffrage agi-
tation and as to what use the fallen
Queens supporters might make of it :.
Every step Of my action was duly re-
ported TO the Department of State, prior
to Blount having any knowledge on the
subject. His claim to have put an end
to Hawaiian anxiety about rumored
Japanese encoachment is as surely as
sumptive as his expression to me at my
house, that to him the Harrison admin
istration was indebted for the strong
Democratic support which was given It
in the threatened war with Chill, and
that Senator Morgan, now chairman OF
the Senate committee of Foreign Affairs
could not aid much in the same direc-
zion, and is not a level headed man.
In Blount's report, as given to the
press, I find the following language:
1.-THE two leading members Of the
COMMITTEES, Messrs. Thurston and Smith,
growing uneasy us to the safety of then
persons, went to Minister Stevens to
know il he would protect them in the
event of their arrest by the authorities,
to which he gave his ASSENT
1t is enough to say that there is not a
semblance Of truth in this assertion of
Blount, made by MIN without his ever
having limited it to, me or made any in
quiry Of me on the subject He thus