The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-02
THE SITUATION.

ed States viii carry today regard
ing the troubles with Japan Since
the reply made by Hawaii negoti-
ations have continued, diplomatic
REPRESENTATIVES of the two govern
ments have exchanged calls and
correspondence but no progress
has been reported from well au-
thenticated sources. The question
''What are they going to do about
it, Is as manswerable today as 1T
was when the first correspondence
was exchanged.
The Hawaiian Government has
outlined its position and we have
vet to hear that it has sought to
retract one lot or title from the
full significance possible to give its
reply to Japan's request. The at
titude of this Government seems
to be that there Is really very little
to explain. The law Is plain, and
the action based upon the law
speaks for itself: as a state which
reserves the right to administer its
own business, Hawaii throws the
burden of proof, the responsibility
of showing that a wrong has been
committed upon the shoulders OF
japan. Hawaii maintains that the
contracts held by the rejected I'M
migrants were not valid, IN short
that the men did not fulfill the
qualifications required of laborers
entering the Hawaiian Islands. 1T
japan believes otherwise it must
prove It's case.
Japan seems to have assumed an
equally stiff necked position by
practically asserting that its sub
iects have been the victims of UNI
Just discrimination. The first let
ter from the Japanese foreign
Office sounded the key note Of that
Governments policy. 1t may be
taken for granted that Japan has
carefully instructed its diplomatic
representative, outlining just what
will be accepted as satisfactory re-
paration for what is considered an
affront to its national dignity In
fact it is generally considered that
Japan's instructions are so explicit,
that a failure to secure the consld-
Grafton deemed proper will be re-
garded as sufficient grounds for
severing diplomatic relations.
Without the slightest evidence
from either side of a tendency to
F'give and take" the. Inference Is
easily drawn that there is at least
no improvement in the situation.
The relations are constantly be-
coming more delicate and more
difficult for amicable settlement.
The citizens of Hawaii are firm
in the support of the Government
policy. There is no prospect of
the Government retracting unless
forced to do so by superior outside
influences. Among the japanese
residents, there few who fear
Japan will withdraw all its citizens
from Hawaii: some who do not
regard with favor an arrangement
between Hawaii and Japan and
who would perhaps prefer to have
their country accept the situation
rather than resort to extreme
measures. These residents are in
clined to criticize their diplomatic |
representatives forfeiture to smooth |
over the affair. They forget how /
ever, that the diplomats are but the
agents through whom the policy of /
the home Government Is express
ed and carried out. The criticism
seems to be due to thoughtle-sness
and cannot exert much influence
in shaping final results. The ma
jority of the japanese however, are
steadfast in their loyalty to the
position taken by their Govern
ment. They have refraincd from
any rash action and are quietly /.
awaiting results.