The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-02-15
lie Gives an Interview to a New
York Paper.
WORKING AS ONE CITIZEN
Strength of the Republic-The Japa-
nese-Passes an Opinion On the
Trip of President Dole.

So far the only paper in the United
States to tender its columns to ]. o.
Carter for expression is the New York
Tribune. To the Washington CORES
pendent of the Tribune, Mr.. Carter
said:
L am not here in the interest Of any
organization, but simply as one in
dividual to do what | can to prevent
annexation. | don't know just how
shall work. The treaty is out of the
committee and is before the Senate
and | shall have to get into communi-
cation with the men who are dealing
with the question and understand it.
| may be here three weeks or four,
possibly six, but I hope not, for
want to get back to my home. | am
opposed to annexation, both as an Am
erican and as a Hawaiian, because
don't think it would be a good thing
for the United States, and | am sure
it would not be for Hawaii. The ISL
andS are prosperous now and our plan
ters are getting great prices for sugar,
and the coffee and rice-grOwers are
thriving. | believe it is entirely pos
sible to maintain an Independent gov
eminent The men who have govern
ed Hawaii in the past are able to gov
ern it in the future. We have had
Anglo-Saxop rule practically from the
beginning mean government do
minated by Americans
Mr.. Carter was asked if he thought
the Republic strong enough to resist
outside aggression.
Yes" he replied, Il believe as long
as we behave ourselves and do the
right thing we will not be disturbed
by outside aggression.
''It has been so in the past, and why
not in the future? You see l never be-
lieved in the Japanese scare-that Ha-
wall was in any danger from Japan.
There was trouble over the immigra-
ton, and Japan sent a cruiser with a
commissioner to look after the inter-
ests of the Japanese. But it was just
what Great Britain or Germany would
do under similar circumstances.
'FThere are $4,000 Asiatics in Hawaii.
Whose fault is it? Why, the Hawai-
ians. The planters will insist upon
having new immigrants, and under the
treaty with Japan they can. One thing
is lost sight Of The Japanese come
over under contract for three years at
$3.50 a month to work on plantations.
When the contract expires they are
free to remain, if they choose, and to
work as free people. But, naturally,
they want more pay and are worth more
to the planters than new men. They
want SIS a month, or perhaps more.
But the planters do not value a man
with three years experience and train
ing any more highly than new hand
so they demand more Japanese at $12.-
so a month. This is the way the con-
tract immigration has gone on and
the Japanese in great numbers are set
tied in the Islands. They go into the
| towns after their contracts expire and
get higher wages, whereas it woulc
really, in the long run, be to the adj
vantage of the planters to hire them as
free laborers at better wages than tt
send off for more new men.
| ION some of the smaller plantations
| the free labor system is applied, ant
| it works we'll with the Japanese"
Referring to the visit of Presiden
Dole Mr.. Carter was asked:
What influence is Mr.. Dole's visi
likely to have?''
In reply it was suggested that a
least it would give the Senate the cp
portunity of knowing something abou
the President of the Island Republic
and that the general impression wa
that it would be favorable to annexa
ton.
The Tribune remarks that it doe
not appear that the Hawaiian dele
gates have made much, if any, pro
gress in their efforts to defeat annex
alton.