The herald., 1897-09-08
Accepts Hawaii's Proposal
TO Arbitrate
THE KING OF THE BELGIANS
NAMED By JAPAN AS THE SOLE
ARBITRATOR
Before Submitting the Case japan In
sists That the Facts Shall Be
Agveed Upon
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The full
text of the formal acceptance by the
Japanese government of the proposal to
erbitrate its differences with Hawaii
has been received in this city and copy
was today delivered to Secretary Sher-
man by the secretary of the legation, Mr..
Matsu. 1t is from Count Okuma, minis
ter of foreign affairs, to H. Shimamura,
Japanese minister to Hawaii. After ac-
knowledging the receipt Of Hawaiis Of
fer of arbitration, it says:
1.-THE imperial government are firmly
convinced that their complaints in this
matter are well founded and that their
demands are just and reasonable. New
ertheless, in spirit of conciliation, ana
in the hope that such action may con-
tribute to the good relations o. the two
countries, they have resolved to accept,
subject to certain necessary limitations,
and qualifications, the proposal Of the
government of Hawaii
Accordingly on the 29th ult., l tele-
graphed to you to the effect that the Jap
anese government accepted in principle
the suggestion of the government or
Hawaii for arbitration and that the
terms and conditions of such acceptance
would follow by mail.
Il now confirm that telegram and the
object of this instruction is to explain
the nature of the terms and conditions,
an adhesion to which is, in the estima-
ton of the imperial government, essen
tial to a satisfactory issue of the con-
templated arrangement
1.-The reasons assigned by the minister
of foreign affairs of Hawaii in favor or
the arbitration make 1t also desirable
that the award, when pronounced, snail
be of the most commanding character.
Consequently the imperial government
propose that the two governments shal',
when the proper time arrives, unite IN
requesting that his majesty, the King
of the Belgians, may be pleased to ac-
cept the position of sole arbitrator.
1.-The imperial government Is, more
over, persuaded of the desirability OF ex-
pressly defining the scope OF the REFER
ence. not only in order to tighten the
labors of the arbitrator, but with the
view as well, that the decision made adj
dress itself solely to the actual points
of divergence.
we lH6IelOle PiOPOSS eAes eAAN ~"
governments shall agree to the essen
tial facts of the case and that the arbi-
tration shall be limited to the specific
questions at issue.
"It is due to frankness that I should,
in this connection, state that for reasons
which are fully set forth in another in
struction, the imperial government
cannot consent that the question of the
bona fide possession of $50 by each OF
the rejected free laborers, or of the ap-
plicability of the treaty Of 1871 to the
japanese subjects other than those be-
longing to- the merchant class, shall be
regarded as points of issue upon which
the decision of the arbitrator is to be
invited.
"If the government of the republic is
prepared to meet the imperial govern
ment upon the foregoing essential points,
1t is not apprehended that any difficulty
will be experienced in arriving at an
agreement in questions of minor impor-
tance.
you are consequently directed to
communicate a copy of this instruction
to the minister Of foreign affairs, as the
reply of the imperial government to the
suggestion contained in his note Of the
2Sth Of June You will at the same time
urgently impress upon him the impor-
tance of an immediate responA
"I am sir. etc,
"COUNT OKUMA SHI SHIGENOBU,
fsNTi,1istar. FOR EnrApn flo