The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-09-03
TEXT or LETTERS
Government Makes Public the
Correspondence.
LETTERS OF THE DIPLOMATS
Minister Cooper Com:
mended for Effort.
Matter Remains as Before-Must
Now Wait Until Japan
is Heard From.

The Government was pleased yeSter-
| day to give out for publication the let
| ters which have recently passed be-
tween Minister of Foreign Affairs Coop
er and Minister Shimamura on the
subject of arbitrating the differences
which now exist, between Hawaii and
Japan. The Advertiser published the
gist of the news yesterday morning,
and some members of the Cabinet, or,
perhaps, only one, complained that the
head lines were misleading and were
apt to cause adverse public criticism.
This being the opinion, it was deemed
advisable to publish the letters in full
and to this end copies were made for
the press. The first is from Minister
Shimamura, transmitting. the one from
Count Okuma:
Honolulu, August 16, 1897
''Sir:-In accordance with the in
structions of Count Okuma, His I'm
perial Japanese Majesty's Minister for
Foreign Affairs, L have the honor to
communicate copy of his instructions
addressed to me under the date of Au
gust 4th as the reply of the Imperial
Government to the suggestions con-
tanned in your note. of June 2Sth.
You will agree with me that this
matter is of such Importance and con-
Germ from every point of view that
may be allowed to press for an early
reply.
with the highest consideration,
have the honor to be, sir, your most
oh
(Sig.) "H. SHIMAMURA,
"H l. j. MS Minister Resident
"Mr. Henry E. Cooper, Minister of For
eign Affairs
The following is the full text of the
communication from Count Okuma, re-
ferred to in Minister Shimamura's let
ter quoted above:
''The Guaimusho, Toxic,
The 4th Day of the Sth Month
Of the 30th Year of Meiji.
@H. Shimamura, Esq, H. 1. J. M. S Min
lister Resident, Hawaii:
sir received on the evening of
the 18th ult. your telegram announcing
that the Hawaiian Minister of Foreign
Affairs had, in writing, suggested to
you that the differences between Japan
and Hawaii in regard to the rejected
immigrants, be referred for settlement
to disinterested arbitration.
'By the mail which reached this city
on the 10th ult., per the steamship City
of Rio de Janeiro, also received from
you copy of the communication from
Mr.. Cooper, to which your telegram
had reference.
''The Imperial Government are firm
ly convinced that their cimplaints in
the matter are we'll founded and that
their demands are just and reasonable
Nevertheless, in spirit Of conciliation
and in the hope that their action may
contribute to the good relations of the
two countries, they have resolved to
accept, subject to certain necessary
limitations and qualifications the pro-
posal of the Government of Hawaii.
Accordingly, on the 2Sth ult. tele-
graphed you to the effect that the Jap
anese Government accepted in princi-
pie the suggestion of the Hawaiian
Government for arbitration and that
the terms and conditions of such ac-
ceptance would follow by mail.
81 now confirm that telegram and
the object of this instruction is to ex-
plain the nature of the terms and the
conditions, an adhesion to which is, in
the estimation of the Imperial Govern
ment, essential to a satisfactory issue
of the contemplated arbitration
''The reasons assigned by the Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs of Hawaii, in
favor of arbitration, make it also de-
sirable that the award when pro-
nounced shall be of the highest and
most commanding character Conse-
quently the Imperial Government pro-
poses that the two Governments SHALL
when the proper time arrives. unite in
requesting His Majesty. the King of
the BelgiaDs, may be pleased to accept
the position of sole arbitrator
''The Imperial Government are
moreover. persuaded of the desirabilitv
of expressly defining the scope of the
reference. not only in order to tighten
the labors of the arbitrator. but with
the view, as we'll that the decision may