The herald., 1897-03-20
THE ANNEXATION OF HAWAII
Mast Occur Promptly or the Chance
Will Be Lest
Japan by Peaceful Invasion Threatens to Ae.
compIish nore Than She Could
Hope to Do by Force
WASHINGTON. March 1s-L. 4

Thurston, ex-minister of Hawaii to this
country, now president of the Annexa-
tion club of Honolulu and here in the in
terests Of that organization, gave out in
an Interview today regarding the news
from San Francisco that the Hawaiian
government, in refusing to allow 750
Japanese laborers to land in Honolulu,
believed 1t had unearthed an attempt to
import Japanese into Hawaii in viola
tion of the immigration laws. He char
acterized the subject as one of the grav-
est now confronting the Hawaiian gov
ernment. He said: -Four or five i'm
migration companies have been formed
by leading officials Of Japan, including
the present Japanese minister at Wash
ington, and they have the past year been
bringing in large numbers of free Japan
ese immigrants to Hawaii. There are
five lines of steamers between Honolulu
and Japan, making monthly trips and
every steamer brings from $50 to $50
Japanese, thus turned loose on the COM
munity without any knowledge of gov
ernmental check 1t is question
whether this inpouring Of men almost
unaccompanied by women will not soon
constitute a class of unemployed men
and without means. The Hawaiian gov-
eminent adopted measures to meet such
evaded. Habeas corpus proceedings
were instituted when lot of men were
refused landing recently, but in the abb
sence of the proof of charges that money
borne by the men did not actually be-
long to them the landing was allowed.
The money produced by the immigrants
Is provided by some third party which
the immigration companies charge
against competitors but deny as to their
Japanese government does mediate
any hostile of forcible action against
Hawaii, but unless something is done to
stop this influx of Japanese, they will
by peaceful invasion accomplish for
more than they could hope to do by
force. The Japanese in Hawaii now
number 24.0o0 against $4,000 natives and
at the present rate, will in five years
form majority of the inhabitants of
the country Thus the Japanese would
accomplish the same moral right that
the Uitlanders are claiming in South
Africa. It is the belief in Hawaii that
the present extraordinary movement
from Japan to Hawaii is part of sys-
tematic plan with the full approval Of
the Japanese government to get in con-
troll of the island. Undoubtedly the Ha-
waiian government Is waiting to see the
action the United States will take on
the annexation question. If that ques-
ton is not acted on soon, grave issue
will soon arise between Hawaii and
Japan, the outcome Of which no one can
undertake to foretell."
THE QUEENS CLAIMS.
WASHINGTON, March 10. = Some
days ago a formal card was issued by
Julius Palmer, secretary Of ex-Queen
Liliiuokalani Of Hawaii, declaring that
she never had legally abdicated the
throne and that the abdication signed by
her was irregular, given under duress,
and void. The paper of abdication
signed by the ex-queen was drafted by
General Alfred S. HartweM of Homo
lulu. who Is now in Washington on a
pleasure trip.
General Hartwell was asked for
statement concerning the ex-queen's alb
dication. and said that he drafted the
ex-queen's abdication and jurat of al
legiance to the republic of Hawaii and
abjuration of the monarch under cir
cumstances which left no chance for
misunderstanding, and that Paul New
man. her legal adviser, who came to
Washington in the winter Of 1898. hold
ing her power Of attorney. Samuel Par
ker. her last prime minister in Hawaii,
and Charles Wilson. the last marshal
under the monarchy, came to his Office
the day Of her arrest and told him that
she had intended to abdicate before but
had delayed for Mr.. Wideman to talk
1t over with her. and that they wanted
him to draft the paper.