Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-10
She is Bent Upon Keeping Hawaii
Open to Free immigration.
THE NECESSITY OF ANNEXATION
Some Recent Newspaper Misstate-
ments Answered and Corrected.
INTERESTING THINGS CITED


HONOLULU, July q, 1897.
Since my last letter this government has
given to the public quite fully the sub
stance of all but the last part of the cor
respondence with the japanese minister.
The chief fact not previously disclosed here
was that on June % this government made
proposition to Japan to submit to arbitra-
ton the questions at issue. Considering the
persistence with which both parties to the
controversy adhere &c their conflicting
VIEWS this seems to be the only available
solution of the tangle. and 1t may be hoped
that Japan will agree TO such arbitration.
An evident reason for doubling it is that
Japan is bent upon keeping Hawaii open to
a large and free immigration of Japanese
subjects, in order 10 establish her own
paramount influence here, and secure to
them rights of suffrage in Hawaii, accord
ing to her forced construction of the
treaty.
We are hoping tomorrow to receive
Washington news of the 22d. and to get
some definite Indications of the intention
of the Senate whether or not to pass the
treaty OF annexation during the extra ses
sion. We have bad little hope of such
prompt action yet the need of no longer
leaving the status of Hawaii exposed to
danger may sufficiently have impressed
your statesmen. The present situation
seems critical. 1t would be a great relief
year or longer to wait for the fulfillment
of what has so long seemed our manifest
destiny TO belong to the United States.
Many Misstatements.
OF the American papers opposed TO our
annexation, the New York World appears
to be the least scrupulous in its misstate-
ments. A recent article therein tabulates
twelve reasons against the measure most
of which are so contrary to fact or reason
as to offer much temptation to notice them.
The World alleges that
/. The proposed state of Hawaii has he
largest leper colony in the world" Per-
haps We have more leperS here In prcpor-
ton to population than elsewhere. India
has her lepers at large and neglected. 10
the number of several hundred thousand.
The Chinese are SAID to Kill their lepers
TO prevent propagation OF the disease
Hawaii has her 1000 lepers. all carefully
segre gated, and made comfortable and con-
tent in charming location. Since Hawaii
Is the central crossing place of the Pacific
commerce. which America IS to dominate,
it would seem highly important for the
United States SO TO own and control it:
that a strong and intelligent government
like the present shall continue TO be main
tanned here, which shall efficiently quaran-
tine leproSy, well all other forms of
communicable disease. Or shall you leave
us exposed TO the return of some admins
tration like that of the monarchy. which
left the lepers much at large? American
ports being the nearest to Hawaii would
the most suffer from such insanitary con-
ditions here. The present condition of
Hawan's leper colony Is a just source of
pride, although il is painful to think of the
Negligent and promiscuous habits of the
native population which caused such rapid
propagation of the disease among them
from thirty to forty years ago
Other Charges Refuted.
The World charges thai. 2. only 5000
Of its 10000 inhabitants are enfranchised
or have any civil rights This refers to
the number OF actual voters at the last
election. A majority OF the 10000 native
voters refused to take the required oath to
Ieaounce monarchy. and so failed to eX-
ercise their right of suffrage. Few of the
Portuguese men can read and, therefore.
vote. Asiatics do not have suffrage at all.
But all ordinary civil rights except suf-
frage, are aburdantiy enjoyed. and no
country in the world possesses greater lib
erty CT speech and the press, or fuller JUS
tice In its courts. OF course. the newly es
tablisheJ republic could not permit its vot-
crs to be men whose votes would at once
subvert its own existence. Bit this is only
a transient condition of things.
; only men of wealth can be members
of the upper house of its legislature This
is absurdly untrue. Any man with $1,000
can become a senator The writer of the
article had probably heard that there was
small property qualification for being
voter fer a senator. That is. $500 income.
that of ordinary mechanics.
L. This upper house has the making of
the president, and, contrary to the usage of
every civilized country has the absolute
control of the purse strings This is near
er the truth. although the consent of the
lower house must be given to all appropra-
tons II must be remembered that tire re-
public has to deal with majority of the
native voters. hostile to itself The pre-
caution taken is only a temporary one.
Finances I'm Good Shape.
.. Its finances are IN hopeless confusion.
because the rich men. who constitute the
government. refuse to tax themselves" A
recent financial statement, which was sent
TO every senator and representative in con-
Sress, disproves this. showing an admirable
condition of the finances. A large amount of
revenue is left for expenditure upon public
works Tor which also fresh bonds have
been sold from time to time at 5 Der cent
The last legislature voted an income tax of
l per cent upon all incomes above $4,000
ne rich mem are just now trying to
Kick al this in the courts. as they success
iuily did with you-but the rich men have
not been able to run legislature as
they are said occasionally TO do in some of
Your states. In the face of a strong oppo-
tition from planters. the receipts of the
ing the past two years by legislative re-
form in the method of assessment of cor
pcTatiors and plantations.
The Sugar Producers
g. "Ten-elevenths of its products are
sugar, raised on ffty-two plantations.
owned by about 100 men and worked by
5000 coolies and semi-slaves."
There are not less than 1000 persons
owning shares in our sugar plantations
The books OF any of our large sugar cor
porationS will show scores of different
shareholders. Only 20 I'D iaborers were en-
ployed upon the plantations last year. OF
whom were under contract S.SS5, or little
over two-fifths. Most of the contract Ia hor
ers are bound for three years. but are as
FAR as possible from being slaves Tney
receive from SD to S15 per month, while
the free laborers get from SIT to $50 They