The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-07-26
washington, July 10, 1897

Washington, July 10, 1871
Sir; Replying 10 your booe .. udee ate aIe
2bib ultlttto. IA answer TO mime OF the iSth
uhlllro. regarding the prOpOseu anheAo
tlon ,,f the ffaw allan lslanus 10 Ohe oi oiitea
States | have the honor 10 INFORM you ohdt
i communicated iUs substance 10 counS
olontna. from whom / am IN receipt or
teiee apnic instructions, emDouylhg ble
views Of the imperial government III fela-
TakIag note of what you say in reply TO
the representation had the honor TO make
ON beiiulf OF my government Win reference
10 the necessity OF maintaining tile status
quo of Hawatl, the imperial government mas
no hesitat ON in admitting the pTeoonlnant
Influence of the United States IN the ii a
wailan Islands. In their opinion, now
ever, the very fact that such performance
has existed SO long uaQuest!Oned might be
urged as a reason against the disturbance
of the status quo, more especially as plac-
tically the whole population OF Hawai-
acknowledge the paramount importance ol
the relations OF their country with the UNI
ted States, while il is understood that
only small Traction of Their number favor
annexation.
fIom TINS it may lie reasonably inferred
that the predominant an d para Ountinflu-
ence of the United States" which, a : you
remark. ''haS been the one essential feature
OF the status quo thrOug n thrce-qUar rte TsOf
century. in which the constitution and gov
erHment OF Hawaii and tie commerce of The
islands with the world have un dergone nota-
ble changes, - furnishes on the one hand the
ampleStgua ranteea "a IN stan ythinginllnlcal
TO either the United States or Ha waii, while
on the other hand it ObNlates the necessity
of q change in existing conditions which
VIII inJuriously affect the IN terests OF
~hers.
As regards the further statement in your
Communication under reply that -four
years ago. when a similar project cf an-
neAatiOu followed the Hawaiian revolution,
the coca sion for maintaining the status quo
was not even suggested 10y any power pos
say tnat the imperial government do not
think the attitude OF Japan at that time
can be regarded as even implicitly acqu-
escent in the annexation project then under
Consideration. In view OF the rap-dltysTlth
which the important events connected with
the incident OF 1893 followed each other.
and especially in the light OF the ultimate
action OF the United States concerning
the proposed plan or annexation, the ina
pcrial government cannot perceive tha any
contrast can justly he drawn. so far as
Japan is Concerned, between what was
done or omitted 70 he done on that Occa-
Sion. and the position they have now
taken. But An any event the changes which
have since occurred in the stua ton. aud
the augmentation tnat h3 IN the meantime
taken place in the interests Of Japan i'm
the Pacific make such acqu.escence in
applica tle now
Tie policy Of colonial expan sion among
EurODcan CO EnfrieS was especially active IN
the racific during the decade ending S62,
and as result nearly all OF the island
groups then autonomous passed under tie
sway OF various Western powers BY COM
mon accord the powers nave recently ap-
peared willing TO stay their hands. and in
teraational rivalry and conflicting interests
are now the best guarantees for the con-
ttnUed sovereign existence Of the few re-
naming island groups But the ahsorpii ion
by the United States or such an import ant
part of the remaining appropriated
region at Hawaii would donbtleSs he the
signal for the revival of dormant terri
tOrlal ambition ia the Pacific, and the
las veStg ge OF native autonomy wOIid dis
appear, And it is not too much to ap-
prehend that a partial redistribution uf
colonial possessions among the various
Western powers might also follow.
1t can easily be ecn n how this would affect
the interests OF JaDa neSe subjects who are
now enga Eing i'm increasing numbers i'm va
nous sUndertaklngS nd enterprises IN the f.
cIflc, with profit to themselves and adVant-
age TO Japan. 1t was precisely on account
OF the prevalence OF this spirit Of colonial
absorption that one OF your homo prede-
cesSors was led to declare to the German
government that vOur Government attached
great Importance TO 1.-The maintenance or
the rights TO W hiCh the United : tateS has
become entitled in the few remaining regions
now under Independent and autonomous
naflve governments in the Pacific Ocean. ="
--(Mr. Bavard to Mr.. Pendleton, Foreign
Relations, 1888, page 599l.
The Justice of that decla "a tiOn cannot le
Guestione ed an erislgovernmant.en-
terta ining similar views. could not behold
with indifference changes In TIE status OF
those governments that would PxtinguiSh
questioning the actual existing situation
I'm the Pacific. and certainly no desire TO
I'm any wise disturb it: but their position
I'm that Part of the world reD ders % impoS-
Sille for them 10 view with unConcem and
in a spirit OF acOuieScence the con sequences
which would follow the extinction OF Fla
vaian sovereignty.
You state in vouT note OF the 25th ulti-
mo that the recital OF the grounds upon
which the protest OF Japan against the pro-
posed annexation Of Hawaii is based is OF
lsaFf has
apDTehended the statements and aSSur-
ances contained in your note of the 18th
uitmo. and that in relation TO the treaty
question involved, il "stnOngly suggest 5
con fusion between the formal stipulations
OF the treaties and the vested rights which
the subjects Of one country may acquire IN
another under treaty or the law OF the
land" IL does not see m TO me that the
question is a material one. but beg Ia Oh
serve that the appearance OF confusion
which has suggested itself 10 you is at most
only superficial. The protest OF my gov
eminent was general as well as specific in
character.
II was based on the consequences which
would directly follow from annexation. as
foreshadowed in your note of the 18th ul-
timo, and subsequently definitely stated in
the communication under reply, and also
upon the collateral results which might GER
talnly be expected from the changed con-
ditions which the extinction of Japan's
treaties would create.
The imperial government recognizes it as
a W tti tHi OIL lUIeTHdtiOnHl
law thatthe hecompletiOn OF anne alton would
render the treaties and conventions at pres
ent existing between Japan and II await void
aide, either at the option OF Japan or the
United Statees. but they cannot anticipate
without apprehension the conseuuences s.
whether direct or indirect, which would fol
low the practicalconsui OF the theory
that annexation. ipso fscto. means the I'M
mediate termination OF those treaties and
conventions. and the consequent cpsSailon
for the future OF the privileges granted
thereunder.
The justice or expediency OF extending 10
Hawaii the treaty OF S5S. at present sub
sist1ng between Japan and the United
States is quite another question Such
extension might be inferred. from the
language OF the second paragraph of article
3 of the proposed treaty of annexation
which also provides for the extinction oi
lawaIi's existing treaties. but the treat
OF lSoS ls wholly nOn-reCipr0cal and the
Imperial government is not prepared 20 adj
init that II could be 10 extended without
Its consent.
Under these circumstances only the most
cursOry review OF the actual situationfs re
quired 90 show the Instantaneous posi-
1on In which Japan would be placed by
the abrupt termination of her treaties
and by the consequent absence of salts
Factory conventional Stipulations for the
protection of her rights and the interests
OF her people.
The sphcre of 1aran s expanding activi-
ties lis la the Pacific.
Her trade with Ha waii is important, an d
nearly 2e ;oOo japanese subjects are now
residing there. Her commerce with the
United States and Canada is constantly
Increasing. In Mexico and Central South
America japanese immigrants are wei
coined and trade is Springing into exist
cnce. One of lie largest Jana nesp steaIn-
ers already plies between japan an ID the
United States. an d another Is alsut 10 10
established. IL Is not too much 10 pre-.
dict tnat the ntsT future viii witness the
inauguration Of other transpacific ser.
vices. An, or nearly all, Of there lines OF