The San Francisco call., 1897-12-20
One Argument to Favor Takinu
the Islands Is Duly
Knocked Out.
ISLANDS NOT IN DANGER
There Is No Occasion for Fearino
Domination by the Subjects of
the Mikado.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 19-The views
attributed to ex-Secretary Foster in a
recent interview in relation to the
danger of japanese domination in Ha-
waii in the event of the failure of an
nexation, have occasioned much com
ment among the Japanese officials in
this city. The japanese Minister said
to-day that in his opinion it was
hardly fair to attempt to draw Japan
INTO the annexation controversy in
this manner.
Every we'll informed person." said
he, knows that Japan is holding
strictly aloof from that controversy,
and that her Government has given
conclusive proof of the fact that it
has no designs, immediate or remote.
upon the Hawaiian Islands. The
friends of annexation might therefore
afford to allow the question to be set
tied upon its merits without con-
stantly endeavoring to use Japan as
catspaw.
The alleged danger Of japanese
domination has always been a strong
argument with some of the over zeal
Gus friends of annexation, but it has
been repeatedly refuted, and its repe-
ution can serve no good purpose now.
Japanese immigration in Hawaii in
wolves no other question than that of
demand and supply. AS quickly as
the demand for Japanese labor in Ha-
waii ceases Japanese immigration will
end. The statistics of the immisra-
ton itself show that this is the case.
Last spring the Hawaiian Govern
ment, for reasons which it is not diff
cult to understand, reversed it's policy
and turned away a number of Japa-
nese immigrants, and the cry was
raised that Hawaii was in danger of
being flooded with Japanese Yet the
records show that since the time when
the question of annexation was first
raised there has been far less immi-
grafton proportionately than in pre-
vious years. The Hawaiian census
gives the present Japanese population
as 24,407. In 1893 it was over q, 900.
Between 1890 and 1893 there was an
increase in the number of japanese
residents in Hawaii of nearly 100 per
cent, while the increase between 1893
and 1897 was only Is per cent. This
hardly seems to be an alarming state
of affairs, and it would appear to be
even less so when it is known that
Notwithstanding all the cry upon the
subject the Hawaiian Government is
at this very time sanctioning the i'm
migration of a comparatively large
number of Japanese laborers. The
Board of immigration has approved
the admission of S22 for last month
alone, and it is estimated that 2OOO
rrrilI 1No
the increased demand for labor upon
the sugar plantations during the pres
ent season.
Whether annexation succeeds or
fails, the Hawaiian Government has it
in its power to remove any possible
danger of Japanese domination. The
immigration treaty is revocable upon
six months notice, and any part of the
general treaty which infringes upon
Hawaiian interests can be modified by
negotiations conducted in the ordinary
mode. All that Japan asks for herself
and for her people in Hawaii is that
rights lawfully acquired and hitherto
enjoyed without cavil shall not be ar
bitrarily withdrawn. She has no pur-
pose of dominating Hawaii, and
since the facts clearly indicate that
the presence of Japanese laborers in
the islands in greater or smaller num-
bers is something which depends en-
tirely upon natural causes, notably
upon the vOlition of Hawaiian en-
ployers themselves. her friends feel
that they are justified in strongly dep
recating the irritating repetition of
this discredited argument about the
danger of Japanese domination"