The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-11
MONTHLY CROP REPORT.
Improvement Shown for the COndi-
ton of Spring Wheat.


CHICAGO, July 10-Walter Wellman
in a Washington letter to the Times
| Herald says:
There is serious danger Of diplomatic
friction between the United States and
Japan over Hawaii
The relations of this country and
japan were under consideration today
at the cabinet meeting. Although the
reply which Japan has made to Secre-
tary Sherman's note concerning the
intentions of this government has been
received, the state department holds it
in secrecy. 1t is known, however that
the reply is not as amiable as had been
hoped for.
Japanese expressions both in this
country and abroad had led the adj
! ninistration to believe that the Toxic
government would make the best of the
situation, and so conduct itself as to
make for an easy and peaceful solution
of the difficulty. But it now appears
that the Japanese have acquired the
true diplomatic art of saying one thing
and doing another.
The reply of the japanese government
is of such tone and there are such suS-
pcouS movements of certain Japanese
war ships that the administration is
afraid Japan may be meditating some
coup de force in Honolulu. 1t is I'M
csc still contend that they have equal
rights with the United States in Ha
wall, and that the attempt of the Unit
ed States to annex the islands with
out conSulta ton with Japan is a breach
of good faith.
One thing is certain, and this is that
no matter which way the diplomatic
negotiations turn, the administration
does not propose to be caught mapping.
If the japanese make a show of force
at Honolulu, with or without an an
ncunced intention of demanding that
the Hawaiian government comply with
the demands for reparation which were
submitted some time ago, this govern
ment will do the same thing.
No one need be surprised if the war
ships of the United States and of Japan
frown at one another in Honolulu with
in the next two weeks. War is not
expected by any member of the Wash
ington government familiar with the
facts. but it Is admitted the mobiliza
ton of naval craft at Honolulu would
be sufficient to produce a hazardous
situation. Already there is a good deal
of animosity toward the United States
on the part of the Japan naval officers,
and an overt act on their part might
precipitate a great deal of trouble.
The trouble with Japan appears to
be that the mass of the people in that
They constitute a strong lingo party,
and demand that their government
stand up against the United States in
this emergency. 1t is believed here
that Count Okuma, the japanese pre-
nier, is disposed to satisfy this jingO
party, which has it's newspaper Or
gans by a show of diplomatic resis-
lance to the United States 1t is not
thought possible he would go so far
as to make an actual show of force
ton would be construed as hostile to
stances. And yet the japanese are
somewhat new to the larger diplomacy
OF the world, and it is difficult to I'M
derstand their motives and policy.
Another cause of anxiety here is
found in the report to the effect that
Spain is encouraging Japan to resist
ance of the Hawaiian policy of this
government. Although dispatches from
Madrid represent Spanish officials as
denying that there has been any CO.
quetry with Japan aimed at the United
States, the state department is in pos
session of information of a different
scrt. During the last ten days the
navy department has made special
preparations of a quiet sort for mobi-
lization of our naval forces on the
Pacific at Honolulu, should the turn
of diplomacy make such action neces-
sary. At the present time we are not
as strong in the Pacific waters as
Japan If the Nicaragua canal were
open the advantage would all be on our
side in case of trouble.