The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-20
And Has No Designs Upon the
Hawaiian Islands.
ANNEXATI0YIsTs USING JAPAN AS
A CATS PAW.
They Claim Japan Has Designs on the
Island and Say There Is Danger of
of japanese Domination-What the
japanese Minister Has to Say.

Japanese Minister Has to Say.
s Washington, December 1S.-The views
attributed to ex-Secretary Foster in
recent interview given to the Associated
Press, in relation to the alleged danger
Of Japanese domination in Hawaii, in
the event of the failure of annexation,
have occasioned much comment among
the Japanese officials in the city. The
Japanese minister said today that in his
opinion it was hardly fair to attempt
to draw Japan into the annexation con-
troversy in this manner. "Every well in
formed person, said he" knows that Japan
is holding directly aloof from controversy
and that her government has given
proof Of the fact that it has no designs,
immediate or remote, upon the Hawaiian
islands. The friends of annexation
might therefore well afford to allow the
question to be settled upon its merits
without constantly endeavoring to use
Japan as cat's-paw. The alleged dan
ger of Japanese domination has always
been stock argument with some Of
the over jealous friends of annexation,
but it has been repeatedly refuted, and
its repetition now can serve no gooa pur-
pose. Japanese immigration in Hawaii
involves no other question than that
Of demand and supply. As quickly as
the demand for Japanese labor in Ha-
wall ceases, Japanese immigration will
end. The statistics Of the immigration
itself show that this is the case. Last
spring the Hawaiian government, for
reasons which it Is not difficult to un-
derstand, reversed it's policy and turned
away number of Japanese immigrants,
and the cry was raised that Hawaii was
in danger of being flooded with Japanese.
Yet the records show that since the time
when the question of annexation was
first raised there has been far less immi-
grafton .proportionately than in previous
years. The Hawaiian census gives the
present Japanese population as 24.407.
In 1858, it was over 81 ,00O. Between
1890 and 1898, there was an increase in
tho number of Japanese residents in
Hawaii OF nearly 100 per cent while the
increase between 1898 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 Notwithstanding all the out
cry upon the subject, the Hawaiian gov
ernment is at this very time sancuioning
the Immigration of a comparatively
large number OF Japanese laborers The
board of immigration has approved the
admission of 622 for last month alone,
and it is estimated that 1000 persons will
be thus admitted to meet the increased
demand for labor upon sugar plantations
during the present season. Whether
annexation succeeds or fails, the Hawaiian
government has it in it's power to guard
against any possible danger of japanese
domination. The immigration Il eaty is
reversible upon six months notice and
any part of the general treaty which
infringes upon Hawaiian interests can
be modified by negotiations conducted
in the ordinary manner. All that Japan
asks for herself and for her people in
Hawaii is rights lawfully acquired
and hitherto enjoyed without oavil
shall not be arbitrarily with
drawn. They has no purpose of 'domi-
mating Hawaii and since the facts clear
ly indicate that the presence of Japanese
laborers in the islands in greater or
smaller numbers is something which
depends entirely upon natural causes,
notably upon the volition of Hawaiian
employees themselves, her friends feel
that they are justified in strongly de-
preeating the irritating repetition of this
discredited argument about danger of
japanese domination.