The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
REPLY TO GEN. FOSTER
JAPAN'S MINISTER DEPRECATES THE
HAWAIIAN CONTROVERSY,
And Says His Country Has No Designs
on the Sandwich Islands-The
Immigration Question.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The views at
tributed to ex-Secretary Foster in a recent
interview in relation to the alleged danger
of Japanese domination in Hawaii in the
event of the failure of annexation have oc-
casioned much comment among the Jap
anese 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 well-informed person. said he,
knows that Japan is holding strictly aloof
from that controversy and that her gov
eminent has given conclusive proof Of the
fact that it has no designs, immediate or
remote, the Hawaiian islands. The
friends of annexation might therefore well
afford to allow the question to be settled on
it's merits without constantly endeavoring
to use Japan as a cat's-paw. The alleged
danger OF Japanese domination has always
been a stock argument with the overzeal-
Gus friends of annexation. 1t has been re-
peatedly refuted and its repetition can serve
no good purpose now. Japanese immigra-
ton in Hawaii involves no other question
than that of demand and supply. AS quick
ly as the demand for Japanese labor in Ha-
wall ceases japanese immigration will end.
1u6 SldLlSLlCS VI ltl0 llSOlL
show that this is the case. Last spring the
Hawaiian government, for reasons which it
is not difficult to understand, reversed it's
policy and turned away a number of jap
anese immigrants, and the cry was raised
that Hawaii was in danger of being flood
ed with Japanese. Yet the records show
that since the time when the question of
annexation was first raised there has been
far less immigration prOportOnately than
in previous years. The Hawaiian census
gives the present Japanese population as
24,47. In 1888 it was over 21,00O. Between
1890 and 1898 there was an increase in the
number of Japanese residents in Hawaii of
nearly 100 per cent, while the increase be-
tween 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. notwith-
standing all the cutlery on the subject, the
Hawaiian government is at this very time
sanctioning the immigration of compare
lively large number of Japanese laborers.
The Board of immigration has approved the
admission of S22 for last month alone, and
it is estimated that 1000 persons will be
thus admitted to meet the increased de-
maEd for labor on the sugar plantations
during the present season.
Whether annexation succeeds or fails,
the Hawaiian government has ii in its own
power to guard against any possible danger
of Japanese domination. The immigration
treaty is revocable on six months notice.
and any part of the general treaty which
impinges on Hawaiian interests can be mod
flied by negotiations conducted ia the ordi-
nary manner All that Japan asks for her
self and for her people in Hawaii is that
rights lawfully acquired and hitherto en-
joyed without cavil shall not be arbitrarily
withdrawn. She has no purpose of dom
mating Hawaii, and since the facts clearly
Indicate that the presence of Japanese la
borers in the islands. in greater or smaller
numbers is something which depends en-
tirely on natural causes notably on the Volt
ton OF Hawaiian employers themselves, her
friends feel that they are justified in strong
ly deprecating. the irritating repetition of
this discredited argument about the danger
of Japanese domination"