The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-25
JAP COOLIES IN HAWAII
Their Overwhelming Influx Causes
Alarm in Washington

Washington. D. c., May 24.-The rapid
increase Of japanese immigration into Ha-
wal has attracted the serious attention Of
the authorities here Of late and several
official inquiries have been set on foot TO
learn the extent of the invasion and how
it can be checked. The reports received
by the immigration authorities are in line
with press dispatches stating that the in
f1ux is steadily increasing. One official re-
port from a United States inspector sta
toned at Honolulu states that L, 600 Jap
anese have arrived since the islands were
annexed to the United States. He also
reports that in his opinion the total popu-
lation of Asiatics by the end of the pres
ent year vii. exceed the total population
of all other nationalities. Another official
report comes from an inspector stationed
on the acific Pcoast who was sent on a
special mission to investigate the causes
of this influx. He visited Japan as well
as Hawaii and the facts he obtained are
expected to shed much light on the causes
leading up TO the recent heavy arrivals OF
Asiatics. Thus far only his preliminary
report has been received, and this, ii is
understood, bears out the previous re-
ports as to the extent of this immigration
and the menacing results which may arise
from it. The inspector at Honolulu states
that one of the effects of the heavy in
crease of japanese is TO bring on race con-
f1icts between the Chinese and japanese,
the former being gradually oUtnumbered
as the dominant Asiatic force in Hawaii.
In recent clash, it is stated by the re-
port, several Chinese were killed and a
number wounded.
At the japanese legation it is said that
the coming of japanese TO Hawaii pre-
sents no new or serious question. An Of
fetal of the legation said today: Jap
anese labor is almost essential in operat-
ing the large plantations in Hawaii, and
it is naturally in much demand. But this
is a condition inherent to Hawaii, and the
japanese government and the japanese
people canot control {. Our governmet in
way assists or encourages it. There are
immigration brokers and companies which
carry on a f1ourishing business, but these
have no government status. The only &C
ton of the government in the matter is TO
license the brokers, in order to insure the
protection of the immigrants against i'm
position. Some of the japanese have
urged that the population of Japan was so
dense that there ought TO be some outlet.
But the government has never taken up
that idea and there is no official system
of deporting Japanese. Since the islands
were annexed to the United States Ha-
waiian affairs affecting Japan come under
the legation here. But we have had no
recent reports showing an alarming in
crease in the immigration. On the con-
trary. We are inclined to believe 1t will fall
off by the expiration OF the three-year
term which the immigrants spend abroad
At any rate an influx Of japanese can
have no political significance at all, and
it would amount to nothing if the re-
ports were true that they would outnum-
Der other nationalities. They have no
vote, so that their influence is not exerted
in shaping the affairs of the island. From
the information reaching us. we feel that
nothing is TO be apprehended by the ar
rival of the Japanese in Hawaii and that
their presence is of positive benefit If not
essential, to the development of the
islands"