Evening star., 1897-03-22
JAPANESE INVASION
What Mr.. Thurston Says Of Counsel
lor Stevens Interview.
HIS STATEMENT CAREFULLY ANALYZED
Grounds for the Original Assertions
Clearly Stated.
REAS SONS FOR ANXIETY

Mr.. Lorrin Thurston, ex-minister from
Hawaii and now the president of The An
nexation Club OF Honolulu. said to Star
reporter this morning:
Il see that the statements l mad, i'm the
course of an interview publisned in The
Star last Friday have been questioned by
Mr. ID. w Stevens, the counsellor of the
Japanese legation. who claims that l am
in error both in my facts and in my con-
clusons. The interview nad reference to
the reported refusal of the Hawaiian gov
ernment to allow 537 Japanese immigrants
to land in Honolulu.
The facts which l stated continued Mr.
Thurston, were, in substance:
First. That by treaty all Japanese have
the right of ingresS in;o Hawaii. Ny au-
thority for such statemen; is article of
the Hawaiian japanese treaty, dated Au-
gust 10, 1871, page 1l5 of Hawaiian treaties.
which gives free right of ingrcss to Hawaii.
This treaty is still in force and is entirely
distinct from the labor convention which
Mr. Stevens says is terminahe Oh years
notice. This convention is Low & dead let
ter, no immigrants coming under lis terms.
4 Change of Policy.
Second. / stated that formerly the Jap
anese government only allowed japanese
to to Hawaii under contract. by
which they were under the control and
supervision of the Hawaiian government.
but that recently it had changed its policy
and allowed free immigration to Hawaii.
Whfch was being actively promoted by
number of japanese immigrat ton compan-
les, who We're pouring japanese into the
country without any check on the part of
the government as TO what became of
them.
My authority for making this statement
Is that from 1887 TO 1880 L was president
of the Hawaiian board of immigration and
had personal knowledge of the conditions
under which all japanese immigrants came
to Hawaii; and that 1 am personally ac-
quainted with the Honolulu agents Of the
companies indicated, and know from the
official records in Honolulu, which | have
examined within the last four months that
none of the Japanese immigrants who came
TO Honolulu during 1896 came under the
labor convention, which Mr.. Stevens re-
fers to, under which the Hawaiian govern
ment would have had control of ;hem.
Third. l stated that the late minister to
ashinSton was member of one of these
immigration companies.
Mr.. Stevens says: Neither the japanese
minister as stated by Mr. Thurs
have ave. any eonr eetion with these com
ment is an advertisement in the Hawaiian
Gazette Of November 10. 1896. by the Japan
immigration Company of Osaka, Japan, in
which the following statement appears,
forth. Following are the persons who
compose the company:
"'FoZo latino, ex-minister to Washing
tom
Il refer also tc the records of the supreme
court Of Hawaii in the case of In re appli-
cation of Masumoto Michimoshu for writ
of habeas corpus decided November Is,
1896, in which a member of the company
and also its Honolulu manager both tes-
titled under oath that GoZo latino, ex-
minister to Washington was a member of
the company.
Fourth. l stated that the Hawaiian gov
ernment had passed a law prohibiting any
immigrant to land who could no; produce
$50, and gave instances of evasion of the
law and how ii practically failed to keep
any of the japanese out. My authority for
this statement is the Hawaiian statute and
the fact that during the year 1896 was an
attorney before the supreme court of Ha-
walf in forty-seven cases arising out of this
law.
Peaceful Invasion.
Fifth. / stated that. under these con-
ditions, there was peaceful invasion of
Hawaii going on. as result of which
within five years from now, if the present
/, rate of Japanese immigration to Hawaii
continues, they will be a majority of the
Inhabitants of the entire country NV au-
thority for this statement is the census
statistics of Hawaii, showing that: In 1894
the japanese numbered 116: in 1880 rhe
japanese numbered 1850: in 1886 the
Japanese numbered -. .407, out of a total
population of 109020
Il further refer to the custom mouse sta
tiSticS of Honolulu for 1886 which show
that the number of japanese who entered
Honolulu during 1898 was only 293S while
during 1896 the number was 6322 of whom
2,2T3 came during the last three months.
Mr.. Stevens says that the Japanos gov
ernment has nothing to do with This i'm
migration. l did not say that it did 1
said that II Is the we'll nigh universal be-
lief in Hawaii that the presen: extraordi-
nary movement from Japan to Hawaii is
part of systematic plan, with the full
approval of the japanese government to
gain control of the islands. Whether this
Is so or not l cannot say. Certainly no
more certain method of accomplishing that
result can be followed than that which is
now going on.
In support of this statement / refer to
the files of the Honolulu papers, which are
continually discussing this subject, and to
the Honolulu correspondence of The Star
dated February 25 last, published in The
Star of the 18th instant: and to the address
issued in Honolulu by royalist leaders on
February 16 last, urging annexation as the
sole salvation from japanese Domination.
This belief is based on the facts above
set forth, and also upon the knowledge that
not long since pressure was brought to
bear by the Japanese government upon the
Hawaiian government to secure the right
to vote for Japanese subjects In Hawaii
and that within The year last past a fur
ther demand was made that the Hawaiian
government should not allow any more
Chinese to enter Hawaii, on the specific
ground that 1t would be injurious TO Japan
ese interests.
Where Do They Go.
Mr.. Stevens further states it is safe to
say that 30 out of every 100 Japanese who
go to Hawaii go there in furtherance of
agreements for their employment upon the
plantations
When Mr.. Stevens speaks of his own
knowledge his word is as good as his bond,
but the above statement does not purport
to be from knowledge, while the Honolulu
customs records show that on an average
during 1896 only 20 TO 70 per cent came
under plantation contract. In November
last 1 made personal inquiry of the i'm
migration companies as TO what became Of
the other so per cent, and was informed
that they had no idea-that it was none of
their business.
Mr.. Stevens states that originally the
Hawaiian government encouraged Japan
ese immigration. This is correct: but the
correctness of such a policy in 1884, with
116 Japanese in the country. is one thing
and in 1907, with over 25.OOO, is another.
AS fact, the Hawaiian government Is now
struggling against the immigration. with