The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-07-26
JAPANESE IN HAWAII.

graph 1fOu Tie new OiA OHO
look, of July Sd, in order TO cor
rect a mis-statement, which has an
important bearing on the japanese
controversy regarding the rights
of japanese residents in Hawai-:
Last week, in the United States Sen
ate, Mr.. Morgan introduced an ordi-
nary bill providing for the annexation
of Hawaii 1t is claimed that this bill
is introduced, not TO embarrass the
administration, but to provide for GER
tain additional steps, and to attain the
desired end by simple majorities in
House and Senate. The treaty would
require a two-thirds vote in the Sen
ate, and, while the annexation scheme
has, apparently, majority of Senators
in it's favor, it may not command the
remembered that the purchase of Flor
ida and the admission of Texas were
effected by Congressional bills. 1t is
interesting to note the comment made
in other countries on the proposed an
nexation The principal comment, of
course, has come from Japan, and it Is
not surprising that it has come in the
form of protest, since annexation
would deprive the resident Japanese
in the Islands of rights to which they
are now entitled under the existing
Hawaiian-Ja japanese treaty. There are
about $4,000 Japanese in Hawaii, with
large property rights, and with the OPP
portunity of becoming citizens, but in
the event of annexation they could not
become citizens of the United States.
The decisions of our Circuit Courts
are to the effect that no Asiatic can
become a citizen in this country. In
case of annexation not only would the
Hawaiian Japanese lose the right to
vote, but their large interests would in
so far become jeopardized. The exist
ing treaty can be terminated only by
mutual consent, and Japan justly con-
tends that, so long as she insists upon
keeping it in force, it cannot be abro-
gated. Japan also insists that, in the
event of annexation, her present
claims must be acknowledged and ac-
cepted by our Government. While
their tone is generally moderate, the
Japanese newspapers accuse us OF bad
faith with regard to Hawaii. The Lon
don Daily Graphic says, however, that
Japan is likely to defeat her own ends
by addressing a bellicose remonstrance
he or
Hawaii The policy of annexation is
not very popular in America, but any
attempt at dictation will only be re-
sented, and will strengthen the case
for the annexationists by the sugges-
ton of an eventual Japanese annex
alton
The present Constitution OF Ha-
wall forbids the naturalization of
any foreigners in Hawaii, except
the subjects of countries which
have negotiated treaties of ma
turalization with Hawaii. Even
Americans cannot become citizens
of Hawaii under the present Con-
stitution, without provision being
made for it by treaty. We are not
aware of any japanese subject ever
having become, or expressing a de
sire to become a Hawaiian citizen
by taking the oath under the Mon
archy or the Republic. One Jap
anese voter is enrolled at Hilo, Ha-
wall, but he was born here and is a
Hawaiian citizen. Consequently,
the japanese now here can claim
no status as citizens of Hawaii,
in the event of annexation, except
those who have been born here. A
large majority of the japanese
now here are of the laboring class.
A few, perhaps a thousand, more
or less, belong to the educated
classes. But as these have never
shown any desire to become sub
jects of Hawaii, they surely can
lay no claim for special favors
from the United States after an
nexation is an accomplished fact,
except the rights and privileges of
domiciled foreign residents, which
all foreigners alike enjoy in this
as they do in most other countries.
From this it will be seen that
the japanese can have no claim on
Hawaii for rights of citizenship
forfeited by annexation with the
United States, and can not close
any right to vote," for he has never