The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-29
is INDEFENSIBLE.
So Say Japanese Newspapers Of
HaWaifS Action.
THEY SUGGEST. Z ARBITRATION
Complaint Made Because
of Duty on Sake.
Government Taken to Task for
Discriminating In Favor of
American WineS.I

The newspapers in Japan are still
ian situation, and are disposed 10 criti-
else this Government severely for the
action in rejecting the immigrants, and
incidentally for an alleged discrimina-
ton against certain japanese importa-
tons The Gazette sums up its criti-
cism as follows: We learn by tele
Honolulu to New York, the Hawaiian
Government has notified the Japanese
Minister Resident there, that it will
not recede from the position it has TAX
en- up with regard to the refusal of ad-
mission to some intending Japanese
immigrants who were recently rejected
which has been made public here, be
correct, it appears to us, as we'll as to
others, that the action taken by the
Hawaiian authorities, supposed to be
more or less sanctioned by the decision
of the judges sitting in the Supreme
Court, is substantially indefensible.
The japanese government are clearly
within the compass of their duty in
taking official cognizance of what has
happened with regard to the two batch
es of Iaborers sent from this country,
and in demanding satisfaction for the
wrong done by requiring a pecuniary
indemnity for the persons aggrieved,
= @I,D h
been put to, and loss of time resulting
from the high handed and unwarrant-
able action of the Hawaiian Govern
ment in refusing permission for their
landing.
Though the government here thought
we'll to show its teeth by sending a
warship to initiate proceedings, which
could only properly be based on due
enquiry, and settled by negotiation, it
does not appear if it were intended that
this display of force was to intimidate
the Government of Hawaii, that it has
had any effect whatever, since it has
resolved to abide by its conduct, and
proposes to leave the questions involved
in this affair of the would-be immi-
grants being prevented from landing,
and their consequent return to their
country, to the decision of the sover-
eign of the northern states of Europe,
because free from any interest in the
subject matter of dispute.
The course offered for Japans ac-
ceptance is the only one that was open
to the erring Government to take. since
it resolved not to give way to Japa-
nese representations, but to take its
stand. AS TO entering into any hostili
ties with such a warlike power as
Japan. which has some 10000 able
bodied men capable of playing a mill
tary part already in the Hawaiian ISL
ands, such an idea was not to be
thought of. Moreover, what adds firm
ness to the refusal on the part of the
Hawaiian Government to admit the
wrongfulness of it's acts, is the con-
sciousness that America would be sure
to extend the aegis and its territorial
belongings. in the event of Japan, or
indeed of any foreign power attempt
In to take possession of them by force,
or even otherwise. To such circum-
stance Japan will have to bow. 1t is,
therefore, not open to it to pursue any
other plan than that offered, since the
Hawaiian Government is obstinate,
and arbitration should secure to Japan
all the justice that it can prove itself
10 be entitled to, for Hawaii will be
bound to accept the decision of the
tribunal to whose decision it has pro-
posed 10 refer existing differences.
In addition to the foregoing grie-
vance. there is another one which has
lately come to the front, and that is the
rate OF duty which is now levied on
japanese sake, which has been sud
denly raised from 10 cents to 81 per
gallon. What intensifes the legiti-
macy of this complaint, is that at the