The evening times., 1897-08-05
NOT JUGGLED BY JAPAN
The State Department Outwitte
Oriental Diplomacy.
AVOIDED A CLEVER TRAP
The United States Not Bound to
Respect the Findings of the Court
Between Hawaii and Japan-Our
Warships Ready to Act.

The ''Foreign office of the United
States mas made some bad biunders in re-
cent years in its diplomatic relations with
other governments, but 1t is hardly prob
able that it will succunIb to the insin ua tin z
arguments Of the representatives OF Japan
with respect TO the pending troubles he
tween that government and Hawaii. The
most persistent efforts have been made by
the representatives OF Japan to beguiie
the United states into an expression of
opinion which may he construed as sane
tion on the pa RI of his Government, and the
granting of our consent 10 the arbitration
.'y Hawaii and Japan, and recently agreed
TO bet wecn those govern ments.
In this matter Japan is endeayoring to
play a shTeW game, but her experience la
diplomatic matters has been some what
limited and at the outset she ran up against
the cold, logical and blunt dea ling of
Acting Secretary Day. when the matter
was automatically bfoached TO Secretary
I'Gy he made one of those plain. undiplO-
matte, bat easily understood, replies that
mapped out for herself. Secretary Day
gave the Japanese minister 10 understand
that the United states would have nothing
to do with the arbitration between the two
governments, and tina the subject must be
settled withpVt regard 10 the United
States and ahnexa ton. The Secretary ar
serted that the United States could not
recognize any treaty between Hawaii aud
other nations after annexation was accom-
plished, if such treaties were In conflict
with :he laws of the United States or her
treaties with other nations.
Had the State Department fallen into
the trap laid for il by the japanese, that
country would have been in a position TO
attempt 70 force the United states To oh
serve the findings of the court of arbitfa-
ton after anneXatio
Meanwh whilc, the situation OF the Hawaiian
government Is becoming critical II is
well known that IL force were used the
little republic would he entirely unaiile TO
cope with the japanese should any overt
act be committed There is now upwards
OF 25, 900 japanese laborers in the islands,
the majority Of whom. under responsible
leaders. are said to be armed and ready
10 participate III any ACT lidt iildy De re
qured Of them. A japanese malofw ar
is in the htrbor Of Honolulu, and theentente
cordlale between the two governments.
despite the agreement TO arbitrate their
differences. is badly strained. A show of
force by the japanese would be the signal
for active interference on the part Of this
Government
Methods of communicating with Honolulu
depend entirely upon sail and steam, and
during the fortnight required In which to
send and receive an official dispatch many
stirring events might transpire.
There is good ground for the belief, not
withstanding the carefully worded denials
OF the State Department, that Minister
ScwaIl and Admiral Beardsey have re
Ceved instructions to protect the isla nda
in the event that Japan commits any overt
act. In that event Old Glory viii ne run
no in Honolulu, and the protection implied
by that banner win be given to the Ha
waiian republic.