Hutchinson gazette., 1897-07-29
OBJECTIONS TO HAWAIIAN
ANNEXATION.
POLITE BUT FIRM WORDS.
The AbrOgatIOn OF Present Treaties De-
clared OF Vital Importance to the
MlkRdo's Government--Interest
at stako--DeslGns on Hawaii
DenIed-AmerIcan Tariff
Duties DIstasteHuL

NAohiNuAONY July @E-InbG Japan
will continue to oppose the Hawaiian
annexation treaty is conclusively
shown by the latest protest of the
Japanese government, dated July 10,
which is now made public for the first
time. While couched in polite and
diplomatic language, it is sufficiently
firm in tone to show that Japan will
continue to wage diplomatic war, and
possibly go further, to prevent the
consumnatiOn of the annexation pol
icy. 1t is as follows in part.
"The imperial government recog-
nizes it as a well established principle
of international law that the compile
tiOn of annexation would render the
treaties and convention at present ex-
isting between Japan and Hawaii
voidable, either at the option of Japan
or the United States, but they cannot
anticipate without apprehension the
consequence, whether direct or indi-
rect, which would follow the practical
consummation of the theory that an
neXatiOn ipso facto means the imme-
diate termination of those treaties and
conventions and consequent cessation
for the future of the privileges granted
hereunder
THE justice or eXpcdiency of ex-
tending to Hawaii the treaty of 1858,
ut present subsisting between Japan
and the United States, is quite another
ruastiop Cuob avtars,or ,,;orLA bo
inferred from the language of the
second paragraph of article of the
proposed treaty of annexation, which
also provides for the extinction of
Hawaii's existing treaties, but the
treaty of 1855 is wholly non-reciprocal,
and the imperial government is not
prepared to admit that it could be so
extended without it's consent.
"Under the circumstances only the
most cursory review of the actual situ-
alton is required to show the disad-
vantage of the position in which Japan
would be placed by the abrupt termi-
nation of her treaties and by the con-
sequent absence of satisfactory con-
ventional stipulations for the protec-
ton OF her rights and the interests of
her people
The application of the United States
customs laws to Hawaii would check
the further development of Japanese
trade; the extension of United States
naturalization and immigration laws
would be detrimental to the future
residential and industrial rights of
the japanese subjects, and the en-
forcement of United States navigation
laws, making the carrying trade be-
tween this country and Hawaii part
of the coasting trade, would probably
prove fatal to the interests of Japan
ese stea mship lines crossing the Pa
cific to the United States.
with reference to the third poin3
set forth in my note of the 10th
ultimo, have the honor to observe
that the imperial government has
large unliquidated claims against Ha-
waii for what they deem to be clear
and deliberate violations of treaty.
Regarding the inherent justice of
these claims, the imperial government
entertains no doubt whatever and
bearing in mind the clear provisions of
international law, they cannot admit
that any alteration in the Hawaiian
status would in the least tend to re-
lieve Hawaii of liability. 1t might
easily happen, however, that the
change in the conditions consequent
upon the consummation of the pro-
posed project Of annexation would
tend to delay an adjustment that
ought not to be postponed.
II should also add that 1 have re-
ceived with great pleasure your cour-
teous acknowledgement of the dis
claimer had the honor to make on
the behalf of my government in regard
10 the false report that Japan has de-
signs against Hawaii. Iregret to say,
however, that similar reports are con-
stantly appearing, even in the reput-
able section of the American press,
and, coupled with the baseless or dis
torted accounts of occurrences in Ja-
pan and Hawaii, are now, am con-
siderably informed, being urged in re-
sponsible quarters as pretext for inn
mediate action upon the treaty of an
nexation. Therefore have the honor
TO repeat that Japan has absolutely
no designs of any kind whatever
lnimical to Hawaii and no motive in
her dealings with that country except
to secure by legitimate means the due
observance of just obligations.