Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-07-01
Japan's Protest Against Annexation.

1t is cot at all surprising that Japan
protests against, the absurd proposition
of the Mckinley administration to an
mex Hawaii to this country. The Just,
ness OF the protest is fully set forth in
an outline of the position Of the
Japanese legation at Washington, in
which the following statements are
made:
1.-THE Japanese insist. as ON all former
occasions, that the japanese govern
ment has not now and never has had
any designs against Hawaii. This,
they consider. most important polht,
because OF the talk about colonization.
which they say has apparently had 30
much weight in the discussion OF the
question.
first went to HAWAII 10 response to the
demand for labor in the islands under
provisions of treaty concluded in 1886
at the solicitation of tho Hawaiian
government. They call attention to
the fact that the Japanese government
has always been averse 10 having their
people 60 abroad as coolies, as the
Chinese do, and that the government
has always striven to prevent such i'm
migration. a.. u,,.
treaty was so worded as 10 prevent even
the suspicion of anything like coolie
labor. The interests of all parties were,
they say, protected, and as a conae-
auence the Hawaiian planters secured q
high class of agricultural labor upon
fair terms and under circumstances
3 that did not give the least OCCASION for
the dislike and opprobTium which gen
esally attach to contract labor This
treaty, they say, worked admirably for
years, and until the planters became
restive under the conditions imposed
by the treaty, thinking, the Japanese
hold, that they could secure cheaper
labor with the restrictions removed.
sat the same time the question oi
annextiou came up, and the ndherentf
of union With the United States
thought it would be necessary to makt
changes in the method Of obtaining tb,
labor absolutely necessary to tho pros
perity of the sugar industry OF thi
islands. This was, they claim, thI
origin OF the 80 called voluntary sys
TEN of immigration to Hawaii.
"The development of this situation
led to the framing by the Japanes
government of its Emigration law,
This law is very strict in prohibiting
thn expectation of Japanese excep
where employment is assured, and IL il
claimed that undor it's provisions i
would be impossible to flood tn
Hawaiian Islands, as has been assertei
TO be the Japanese purpose, withou
the conniyRnce of the Japanese authori
ties. This, they hold, could not be sc
cured In view of the policy OF tn
japanese against the expectation q
coolie labor and IN view of the repeate
denials of Japan of any designs upo
Hawaii,
''They assert that Hawaii took n
stops to restrict immigration froi
Japan until last February. when sud
den and suspicious demand was mad
upon Japan TO this end. This, the
claim, il evidence sufficient that thel
was 20 flooding of the islands. The
regarded this demand from the islau
government as capricious, and col
cluded that il was maue for the purpoI
of increasing the agitation in the dire
tion of annexation and TO furnish pr
text for speedy action in that dire
ton"
The protest also claims that undl
haste was exercised in preparing Il
treaty of annexation. 1t further mai
tains that many subjects of Japan a
entitled to damages on account
Hawaii's summary refusal to perm
them to land, and that they are d
priyed of their remedy by the cunsul
nation Of this treaty. On this accou
they are inclined to regard the acti
as unjust and arbitrary. They al
hold that Japan has rights uno
treaties with Hawaii other than the
detailed, including reciprocal immul
ties. which they fear may nct lie
newed lf Hawaii becomes part of
United States.
In whatever light tho bjsct
viewed. it does not make favoTa
showing for this country. Japan
right to protest and 10 have the p
pie OF the United States. For sur
there is nothing in the annexat
scheme that will benefit the Uni
States in any way. 1t should bo promr
and emphatically repudiated.