The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-08-27
Continued from 1St page.)


into an agreement by which neither
OF them should set up any protec-
torate over the island or possess any
OF its soil This was construed to
mean absolute neutrality at the
time, and that it meant not only
neutrality for these two nations, but
an insistence upon neutrality of
other nations, because il it had been
understood that any nation was to
possess the islands, England and
France would not have barred them
selves by such contract. Neither
England nor France, it is true, made
any protest as to the formation of
che Dole government, and it is held
that no protest will ever be made
until that government is about to
deliver the island to any other power
than itself. The informant of The
Times said that what appeared al
ready in the English press was
enough to indicate that England
was not indisposed to take hand in
the settlement of the fate of the
islands when the proper time arrives,
say, the actual ratification of the
treaty of annexation by the Con-
gress Of the United States.
|
Capt. Palmer was asked last night
to express himself on the situation
on the islands. He said very signif-
cantly at the outset that there
would not be peace on the islands
until the nations kept their hands
off it. He said that what the royal
ist party desired was strict
neutrality, which, of course, includ-
ed the United States. He further
admitted that what was desired was
an election under the constitution
of 1887. This was rather singular
coincidence with the important de-
tail OF the alleged concert Of powers
to solve the difficulty by the plan of
a plebiscite under the constitution
OF 1887.
When Capt. Palmer was asked if
there had been any requests to
European powers from this side of
the water on the subject matter OF
such an election, he would not dis.
cuss the proposition. He believed,
however, that such an election as he
had referred to would show the
sentiment on the island. He gives
the population on the island at the
last census at 10000 natives, mostly
royalist, $4,000 Japanese, $4,000
Chinese, $4,000 Portuguese, 10000 OF
whom, he said, are in "favor of the
Queen"
Altogether the story is rather
singular, although improbable, one.
and it is more curious that the plan
Of peace which Capt. Palmer has
and which is evidently inspired
agreed so fully with the report
Capt. Palmer having suggested his
plan before he was told the report
about European concert to bring
about the same result. All that
could be gotten out of Capt. Palmer
was that strict neutrality and an
election was the solution of the
problem, and the report was an cleo
ton under international auspices
both of which remedies mean the
same thing. 1t may be that the lat
ter proposition was one OF the things
. discussed by Capt. Palmer, Mr.
Joseph Heleluhe and Secretary
, Sherman on recent diplomatic oc
casion.
Capt. Palmer said that he regard
the trouble between Japan and thu
Dole government settled. The gov
eminent will pay up as former gov
ernments run by the forefathers o
the present paid indemnities t.
England and France. He believes
that the trouble with Japan was de
signedly brought about by the Dol
government to hurry up the annex
alton scheme, but that instead o