The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-19
FIRMNESS, ONCE MORE.

Last evening The Star spoke in gen
eral terms of the necessity of firmness
in the conduct of all rulers, and es-
pecially in the rulers of small coun-
tries. This evening the argument can
be applied to the rulers of Hawaii.
At the present moment the islands
have a momentous question before
them. 1t is really whether they shall
be peacefully conquered by the jap
anese or not.
There seems to be lamentable lack
of back bone in some of our officials
with regard to this question. The Su-
preme Court has given its decision
that the immigration law is to be car
ried out and that what the Collector
General of Customs says in the matter
must be final, and cites humberless
cases proving the position, from the
United States records.
A thorough investigation of the
cases of these japanese students"
was made over week ago and it was
upon the investigation then made that
the refusal to allow the students" to
land was based Papers were refused
the ship, which brought them, by the
Collector General of Customs, when
she desired to leave for the Empire of
the Chrysanthemum. Evidently, at
that time, the Collector General of
Customs must have been satisfied in
his own mind that the investigation
held was perfectly satisfactory, or he
would not have taken up the strong
position he did. 1t was a strong po-
sition and lead to the celebrated suit
just concluded. Why go over the
ground again? Why open up once
more the question? Why not consider
the first opinion as final?
AS things stand now the question is
once more opened up, and is going to
be discussed "de novo." 1t looks very
much as if there were a Halifax, Ma
cauley's celebrated Trimmer" some
where OF the earnestness of Minister
Cooper in the matter there is little
doubt, but there is weak kneed
brother somewhere in the background
who needs those knees strengthened
The mechanics, tradesmen, mer-
chants and others of both Hawaiian
American and European races, regard
this question as a vital one. To them
it is no child's play. 1t is question
of the struggle for existence. AS
quoted yesterday, it is a question of
the white race against the yellow. The
japanese gentleman who made the
statement in the meeting put the ar
gument as tersely as he could. 1t is
the white race against the yellow, and
every white man here means that the
white race shall win. OF course the
best of troops may be betrayed by
their leaders, as Prussia was after the
battle of Jena, when fortress after
fortress fell without a blow. So the
cause of the white man here might be
betrayed but we cannot think it.
A firm front now will settle the mat
ter once and for all. To know the tenn
per of the people upon the subject of
the untrammeled japanese immigra-
tion you have only to mingle among
them and hear what they have to say.
Their opinion is clear cut. 1t sup
ports the action of the Collector Gen
eral of Customs in the first instance
and it supports the action of the Su-
preme Court. All it now asks for is
action upon the premiss. 1t deprecates
needless and unnecessary delay An
other steamer is on the point of arriv-
ing from Japan, and with this success
in running in students" where are we
going to stop. Let every official con
nected with this affair remember that
he has the cause of the white race
against the yellow race" to fight fol
and that those of his own color will
remember in the future how he acts
in this particular instance. Ship the
students" back to the land of the
cherry blossom and the Geisha.