The times., 1897-12-29
A sHREWD JAPANESE GAME
The President and Mr.. Sherman
Arrayed Against Each Other.
THE MIKADO'S FINE HAND
The awaiiar-Inpanese Indem1isy
ana Citizenship Claims as Laid
Before the State Depa artment 10
0hstruct Annexation The PrGsi-
dent Stands for Immediate Action.

There is variance irritating to the
friends OF Hawaiian annexation bet zen
the plans Of Mr.. Sherman, Secretary of
State, and President Mckinley. The esi-
dent - not deceived at all by the course
OF japanese diplomacy AS il is being 'aid
before the state Department while Mr.
Sherman is being victimized By the tin esse
OF the japanese representative
1t can be stated that the American
HL waiians are pleased with the agsr .:ssiTe
policy of the President, and are beco nng
alarmed at What they know and more par
ticuiarly at what they don't know, or
the negotiations now in progress between
Mr.. Sherman and che japanese minister,
Mr.. Toru Hoshi.
Tire President, it is stated, ana ms
message bears out the statement in part,
Is anxious that the Senate shall proceed
with the ratification of treaty of annex
alton He is urging this regardless Of
any present or prospective interest Japan
NAV have III the Hawaiian group.
Iapan's play is Just now for delay III the
annexation scheme, and if possible TO de
featit. Her bluff ha s already been made at
the State Department, where the latest IN
structions to her minister have been lied.
These instructions include demand for a
guarantee Of unimpaired japanese citizen
shin in case OF Il anneXation, aud a guarantee
by this country Of the 100000 indemnity
claimed by Japan because the Dole go Fcrn-
ment excluded certain japanese, just as
al governments exclude what they Consider
t. he Objectionable citizens.
1t has been stated that claim Cf
5000 600. So a head, against Hawai-
worId mean a claim against this oodDry
on the same basis OF 81 10, 900 900. This
shows Tie gIievousness Of the burden It-
temrted To he imposed upon Hawaii y
Japan.
,lapau's ilurf consists not In demanding
this Indemnity, but in delaying the collec-
tiun OF IL if it is good claim. There
Is q good deal of time being wasted now
over il and all with what Hawaiian y III ri
cans believe to be with a shrewd purpose.
II annexation is. defeated by pressure on
tn state Deparrment, or for any other
reason, it Will be assumed by Japan :iat
this country's active interest in Hawaii yil
CO ase; ard in THAI case il Will be at liberty
to proceed to Hawaii and collect its alleged
Japan VIII then bc In position TO say to
this country. hands off, as the country
shs.l have ostensibly declared against au-
neX&tion.
The Japa nesr- English alliance hinted at
yestertl; H. The Times would make this
seizure of Hawaii a good hing for both
Japan and Europe from Il strategic point
of view.
II, Pr, an
the State Department is sume plain state
ment that this Government viii not un'ler
anv circumstances tempuriZe with Japan
ON any question which goes to retar'i the
annexation movement. Such a state
ment thcv cannot get, notwithsta ntiing the
straighiforw talk OF the President.
1t has been said that annexation n lans
tn, saGdmc on this country OF a debt Of
81 600, 900 the debt of the Dole goEcru-
ment. 1t was stated last night that
the debt is guaranteed by bonds, Y3ich
de- not mature for ten or fifteen years, and
that $500 600 OF the total is bonds TO
secure depositors in the postal blhi;s of
Horolulu. The interest on the bonds is
regularly paid, and the chances are that
the bonds viii he paid al maturity whether
or lot there is annexation.
1t is a somewhat strange but, in The
light of current events, rational theory
that tie Dole gov eTEmeut will not be aT:Ise
to Joining the English ia nese alliance in
case America fails TO carr yout be scheme
anneXa tiOn. The advantage to ia pan wUilld
ne guarantee Of uOn-interference withher
citizens in Hawaii. and the advantage Q
Ia waii wonld be that England would not
permit tie entire control Of Hawaii TO PASS
iito he hands of Japan. If. however, here
is no EnclisE-Ja panrse a Alliance, if annexa-
tion fails, there is nothing to prev en- tie
seizure Of Hawaii by Japan either cor
long term to secure its iu;iemmty, )r ;h-
soluteiy, If it can stir up Jaranrsc in
-llrrectinn On the isllnd.