Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-06
FULL TENT OF THE FORMAL Pro-
TEST THAT WAS FILED.
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE
LETTERS THAT PASSED BETWEEN
MR.. SHERMAN AND MR.. HOsHL
Secretary Sherman Wasted Few
Words in Informing the Japan
ese Minister the Treaty Had
Been signed-Ground
for Protest.

| Washington. July 5--1ue lOIIndl pIDit5I
| of Japan against the annexation OF Ha-
| waii to the United States became available
/ to-day. The full correspondence Is as fol-
| lows:
| Legation of Japan, Washington. June
| 15, lss7.-Sir:-I beg 70 again call your at
| teutiOn TO the subject Of our interview To-
| day. the rumor that the governments Of
| the United States and Hawaii are on the
| point of concluding a treaty aHnexing the
Hawaiian islands 10 this country as ter
ritOrial part thereof. As had the honor
| to state to you, this rumOr has been re-
peated during the past few days with
circumstantiality Of detail which gives
| the appearance Of authority. 1t not {
| states positively that the annexation
| soon take place. but also gives, with
| parent precision, certain portions OF
alleged ARRANGEMENT which directly affe
| the rights acquired by the government
| Japan and japanese subjects by treat'
| with Hawaii and under the constitutio-
and laws OF that country.
1T is on this account that desire TO re-
| peat what had the honor TO state in our
| interview to-day. that my government can
I not view without concern the prospects OF
/ a sudden and complete change in the
status Of Hawaii, whereby the rignts OF
| Japan and japanese subjects may De I'M
While. therefore. they confidently rely
upon the United States TO MAINTAIN To-
| ward them Just and friendly attitude IN
/ this. as in all other matters, they feel that.
under the circumstances, they cannot be
/ regarded as spectators merely NlSnout IN
! terest in the important change which il has
| been so positively asserted is about TO take
place in the relations of the United States
| and the Hawaiian islands For this rea-
| son. il il is really true that treaty OF
annexation is about TO be concluded feel
| that l am justified in inquiring from you.
made therein for the preservation and
maintenance Of the rights acquired and en-
joyed by Japan in her intercourse with
Hawaii. under the solemn sanctions OF law
and of
ACCEPT, Mr.. Secretary. the renewed as
surances of my highest consideration 5i,,
ITO Hen. John Sherman. Secretary Of
To this Secretary Sherman replied as fol-
Department of State. Washington. June
Is. 1897. Sir:-Replying to your note OF the
18th instant, just received; nave 70 say ,s
United States. by their duly authorized rep
resentatives. have signed a treaty anne1lng
the Hawaiian islands TO this country. This
has been done in pursuance OF ne poncy
long since adopted by the United states.
and the treaty will. understand, De SUD
mitted to the senate OF the United states
by the president for ratification. As 10
your inquiry as to the provision mace
therein concerning the treaties Whlch may
be I'm existence between Japan and the
present Hawaiian government, my UNDER
standing is that the government OF the
United States does not take upon itself any
obligations OF the Hawaiian government
arising from treaties or conventions made
by 1t with other governments.
1T is believed that there Is nothing IN the
proposed treaty preJudicial 10 the rights OF
Japan. and certainly the United States has
no disposition to disturb the friendly reia-
tions which have long existed between the
government of Japan and this country
Accept Mr.. Minister. the renewed as
surance Of my highest G3HsidsrstiSS31. Y ~
ITO Mr. Toru Hoshi. etc. etc
Minister Hoshi then submitted Japan
formal protest as follows:
81 Legation of japan. washington. June II,
1897. Sir:-Referring to the correspondence
which has passed between us regarding
islands TO the United States. / have the
honor TO inform you that. having commun-
icated with my government upon the SUD
Ject. / am now in receipt OF instructions
from his imperial maiesty's minister for
foreign affairs. in relation thereto 4
Before diyulging the nature Of these in
structions. / desire TO state that, although
the imperial government could not have1
failed TO attach due weight to the state
ment in your communication to me Of the
18th instant. that. in your opinion. there is
nothing in the proposed treaty prejudicia
taken note Of the fact that. in alluding &C
the same communication to existing treat
les between Japan and Hawaii. you state
that your understanding Is that the gov
ernment of the United States does not take
upon itself any obligations Of the Hawaiian
government arising from treaties or con-
Ventions with other governments
i have now the honor TO inform you
that l am instructed by his imperial mai
against the proposed annexation of the Hs-
waiian Islands 10 the United States. This
protest Is made for the following reasons
"First-That the maintenance Of the
statu quo OF Hawaii is essential to the 5
good understanding Of the powers yncf
have interests in the Pacific.
"Second-The annexation OF Hawaii would +
tend to endanger the residential. CONNER
cial and industrial rights Of japanese sub
jects in Hawaii secured to them by treaty
and by the constitution and laws OF that
country
ment of claims and Liabilities already eN-
isting in favor Of Japan under treaty stip-
ulations.
With reference TO the mischievous sug-T
Sestion or report which has been so in
dustriOusly circulated in this country end
elsewhere that Japan has designs against
am further instructed by the imperial gov
ernment TO state most emphatically and
unequivocaliy that Japan has not now and
never had such designs. or designs Of any
kind whatever against Hawaii
Permit me to add. in conclusion. Mr..
Secretary. that in making this protest and
in asking full and careful consideration for
IT, the imperial government are acIuated
bv what they regard as an imperative dJ Jty
and not in the remOtest degree by a desire
10 embarrass the United States They
prize most highly the cordial relitiOns
which have always existed between our
countries and they confidently trust that
their representations on this occasion will
be received in that spirit Of justice and
fair dealings which has SO notably charsc-
terized the intercourse Of Japan and the
United States
Accept. Mr.. Secretary. the renewed as
surance Of my highest consideTatio61 ii56.,,,,
ITO Hon. John Sherman. Secretary OF
State"
Then followed Secretary Sherman's re-
ply, which has been already published.