The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-07-20
SOME OPPOSITION
Cont OETna UIilt8IablT Opposed
to Annexation.
INDEPENDENCE is DESIRABLE
Hawaii's Position Of
Great Importance.
he Hints at Influence Secured by
Combination of Other
Countries,
INDEPENDENCE is DESIRABLE

The Japan Mail Of July 9TH contains
the following translation Of an inter-
view with Count Okuma in the Yomi-
u- Shimbun:
1T has been stated in some quarters
that the Foreign Office was surprised
and perturbed about the Hawaiian an
ne1arion question. Nothing of the
Kind Annexation has long been on the
-suis II was brought forward by the
Renrhlican party when Harrison was
President. and that ii would come up
srsfn after NcKinley's election went
without saving. The japanese Govern
-e-- maid attention TO the matter when
81 0pened negotiations with Hawaii
about the immigration complication,
and was therefore in no way disturbed,
hui AZ once approached the Cabinet in
Washington on the subject. The fact
Is that the annexation project has de-
rived much OF its force on the pres
err occasion from the inTOads that jap
zreze subjects have been making upon
many branches Of trade hitherto car
ned on by American citizens in Ha-
wam. and from the fact that whereas
there are only some 700 Americans in
The Islands. there are over 10000 Jap
aueze. In short, the japanese consu-
rute about one-fOurth OF the whole
population. and their great and in
r-easing numbers have inspired an ap-
u-ehprsior that they may ultimately
81 possession Of the Islands The
dilemma in which the Hawaiian ad-
rnfrfsrration finds itself with reference
20 The immigration affair has conse-
Cgr-rlv been seized as an occasion to
renew the agitation for annexation.
Another reason is that the United
states Government has revised its tar
IL. and proposes 10 put an import duty
a some $50 ton on Hawaiian sugar,
which has hitherto entered Aperica
free OF an impost The margin of
u-oft on the duty-free sugar is only
So. Thence a duty of $50 is prohibi-
tive That great duty is imposed in
order 10 protect about a hundred and
fifty thousand sugar manufacturers in
America. on whose account tens of mil
lions Of people are TO be obliged to pay
2 high price for their sugar. 1t is an
absurd idea The planters in Hawaii
SCI no way Of escaping the duty ex-
cepr hy getting the Islands incorporat
e5 in the dOminions of the United
States. and they are therefore, doing
everything in their power to compass
that end.
~As for us. If We have approached
the American Government on receipt
OF the news that the annexation treaty
was concluded, our reasons are simple.
Hawaii lies in the middle Of the Pa
cffc Ocean :, 100 miles from San Fran
cisco. 230O miles from Canada and
3e00 miles from Japan. It is place OF
call for ships travelling from the Occi-
cent 10 the Orient and to Australia.
and ir viii possess great Importance
should the Nicaraguan and Panama
canals be cut Its independence is con,
seQuently most desirable. and as its
inclusion in the territories OF the Unit
&c States would materially affect the
interests OF the powers in the Pacific,
We are constrained TO oppose that con-
riugency as strenuously as possible.
Further. annexation would injuri-
ously affect the rights and privileges
thar Japan has acquired by treaty in
Hawaii On these two grounds we have
approached the American Government
After Japan. England is most interest
ed in the matter, and it is scarcely
probable that she viii keep silence.
Germany and France. too, are not I'M
likely 10 make their voices heard.
Apart from other countries, however,
Japan has approached the American
Government and the question arises,
what course win she adopt, should an
ueXation become imminent? She will
oppose II 10 the end.
japan must persist in not recogniz-
ing the annexation of Hawaii. When
g question Of foreign policy can not
be settled by one country alone, there
j. such a thing as q combination OF
Two OF three countries. If all the
States interested in the matter join
together and insist on what is right,
they are not likely to fail OF course,
We have communicated to the British,
German and French Governments the
fact OF our having approached America
on the subject, and we may have an
answer from them soon. There is
nothing TO make fuss about"