Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-15
JAPAN FACES ABOUT
Takes Another Attitude on Arbi-
tration.
LATEST REPLY TO HAWAUS NOTE
Anti-Annexationists Passing theHat
at Honolulu.
TO SEND DELEGATES HERE
Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Correspondence of The Evening Star.
HONOLULU, October 80, 1897.
Since the reply of Minister Cooper to
Count Okuma's letter was sent to Toxic
two months :.go. the attitude of the Japa-
reese government appears to have radically
changed 1t will be remembered that
Okuna then expressly excepted from arbi-
tration the two main points at issue, viz.
that ''of the applicability of the treaty Of
1871 to Japanese subjects, other than those
belonging to the merchant Glass;" and,
secondly. that "of the bona ffde possess
sion of $50 by each of the rejected free la
be rers." Mr.. Cooper's reply asked for
definite statement of what points the i'm
perial government was willing to submit
to arbitration, such statement being lack
ing
The answer to this request came in due
time. 1t was Unexpectedly sa- sfactory.
1t was really a complete reversal OF
the position previously taken, although Mr..
Cooper's reply had wisely abstained from
expressing any protest thereat Japan now
freely comedies to arbitration those two
es sential questions which she had previ-
ously reserved. A few minor points were
added. 1t looked as though the Toxic
people realized the absrrdity of asserting
roment to be arbtrated. At any rate,
this tr,e they made it all right. There was
felt here to be slight ambiguity in some
of the language employed, and it was
deemed safe to ask for few verbal modi-
fcations. which will no doubt be agreed
to. Such is the present condition of the
negotiation, very favorable and friendly
OF e. 1t must necessarily be some months
before all the preliminaries of the arbitra-
ton can be adjusted Meantime every
thing of menacing appearance in the at
titude of Japan has ceased.
Change Ascribed to the United States.
Satisfactorily to account for this great
change in the tone Of the japanese govern
ment would require a much more intimate
knowledge than we possess of the internal
condition of their political affairs. There
Is evidently material change in their ex-
ternal policy toward Hawaii IT can hardly
be doubted that this is largely due to the
resolute attitude Of the United States in
maintaining at Honolulu stronger naval
force than usual in response to the presence
of the Naniwa. Then also Japan seems to
have been misled by her legation at Wash
ir gton into undertaking the active inten-
items of the United States respecting the
of Hawaii A present better I'M
derstanding Of those intentions has led her
to withdraw from her cwn aggressive posi-
ton. Japan is certainly not now In con-
clifton, either financially or In her relations
to Russia to assume any hostile tone to-
ward the United States, even though the
latter be inferior in naval force upon this
ocean.
At the same time 1t is believed that the
condition of their parties at home makes
it necessary for the japanese government
to present an appearance OF making active
progress in their negotiations with Hawaii,
and not to have at all withdrawn from
them The opposition to the men in power
is at all times excessively virulent and bit
ter. 1t is necessary to keep up an appear
ance of progress In an AFFAIR which mas
generated so much heated feeling as this
of the rejection Of emigrants by Hawaii
Hence the proposals for arbitration con-
tinde- to- be entertained upon terms modl-
of parties in Japan, which
we insuff1eently understand, doubtless
have affected the situation. 's.
The Ambition of Japan.
Your public men who have lately been in
Japan strongly confirm the testimony
given some months ago by the younger
Mr. Noyes of The Star. as to the evident
anxiety of the Japanese statesmen to hold
a controlling influence in Hawaii. Ex-Con-
sui General McIver, who was lately here.
was exceptionally strong in that convic-
mate observation at Toxic. The same
opinion was emphatically confirmed by
Senator Cannon of Utah. who spent day
here last week on his way home from ia
n. a
ton, he went there with a preconceived
idea that the Hawaiians had unduly mag
nified the Japanese menace in order to
further their cause. But upon personal in
tercourse with the Toxic statesman, he
found unmtst akable evidence of their keen
dissatisfaction and disappointment at the
prospect of control of Hawaii by the Unit
ed States and their own exclusion from in
fuence here. They had fully recognized the
commanding position of Hawaii as the key
to supremacy in the commerce of the Fa-
cific. and are extremely 10th to surrender it
to the United States. Mr.. Cannon now
feels that there has been no misjudgment
as to the seriousness of the japanese in
tention to make colony of Hawaii
Anti-Annexationfsts Delegates.
Since their second mass meeting" held a
few weeks since. the observation-disclosures
have been laboring under great division In
their ranks about whom to send as COM
mittee to carry their protest to Washing
ton. The rather few whites among them
are naturally anxious to have such COM
mittee present a respectable appearance as
to intelligence. and would like such a man
as Mr.. ]. o. Carter at the head of it. But
the natives seem to have taken the bit in
their teeth. and will not hear of any white
man going. They appear to be unwilling
even to send any of the half-whites, al
though 1t is among that class that the
strongest opponents to annexation are
reling as to who shall go. The whites
know well enough that party composed
only of natives would stand rather I'M
certain chance of even finding their way as
far as Washington. owing to general ignor-
ance and incapacity. 1t is nearly, certain
that no one of such committee would shA
competent to handle tie funds ana regue
late the expenses. Prince David Kawaria-
nakoa, who is spoken of as one of the COM
mittee. might perhaps be thus ne6mpr tent.
as he was educated in California, and went
with Paul Neumann to Washingtonzin Feb
ruary, 1893, to represent Liliuokalanf. He
would pay his own expenses. and could per-
haps keep his party clear of bunco sharps
ard care for them against the unwonted
hardships of winter. But the poor fellows
would really need sharp business man.
In view of the idiotic notions of their ma
tive associates, the whites decline to ad-
vance the necessary funds for the expedi-
ton, and the natives belong generally to
the more unthrifty class among them, who
have no money In hand. This has resulted
in quite farcical method of procedure.