Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-10-11
TRAVELLING IN THE ORIENT.
CLARENCE E. EDwoRDs, A NEwsPA-
PER JOURNALIST. WILL WRITE
WEEKLY LETTERS FOR THE Ike
coRDER OF His TRIP IN THE
FAR EAST.
Especial to RecCrder.)

To one who has previously visited
the somolent city is the fact that
it's population has been most mark
idly changed in the past six years.
When | was here that long ago
the native Hawaiian was in prepon-
derence everywhere. whites were in
the commercial parts Of the city.
Chinese had their section and there
were few Japanese down in the
lower part of the town. Now all
this is changed. Everywhere one
goes he runs into japanese, and
these little brown mtn seem to feel
that the city and all the islands Ut
the group belong to the Mikadp's
empire. Their signs are every,
where, and they have taken actual
possession of nearly every business,
On plantations and in every bust.
ness they are in evidence. the ma
tives taking a back seat in all oe
equations requiring physical exer-
tion, and leaving the field to the
Japanese. An investigation shows
that fully 70 per cent. of the pop
ulat,on of the islands, which now
are q part of the United States, are
Japanese. This IS bad enough in
itself, but there is an even worse
feature to this possession of Amer
lean territory by the subjects of
foreign power A large majority
of these japanese are veterans OF
the Russo japanese war and are
trained soldiers Whole regiments,
fully officprpd and armed, are said
to be on the islands, and it is an
open secret here .hat were war
to come between the United States
and japan the Hawaiian islands
would be taken with scarcely
struggle. 1t is true that there is a
body of United States troops on
the islands, and also a few forts
with proper artillery, but these
could not hold out against the
herds of japanese who are ready to
take possession at a moments no.
tice.
/ have talked with a number OF
prominent citizens of the islands
and find that while there is GER
tain element, unfortunately 6 num-
Der Of government officials, who
thiak the Japanese good citizens
the general feeling is that it will
be but matter OF a short time un.
til the whites will have to make
way for the browns. On one plan.
tation on this island there is said
to be two fully armed and equip.
ped regiments of Japanese soldiers
while on the island Of HAWAII
three more regiments are said to bt
ready. These five regiments have
five thousand fighting men read,
to turn the islands over to the Jap
anese government.
While all this possibility hangs
on a contingency, it is believed by
the japanese here that these. sol
diers sent here under guise Of la
borers have been sent BY the sJap
anese government in order that i
may be prepared for any trouble
that may arise.
The peaceful conquest of the Is
lands, however, is something tina
is more to be feared than that ol
armed conquest, for every Ameri.
can knows that il would be SIMPLY
O matter of a short time until tn,
islards would be retaken. The in
vasion of japanese workman, .mer
chants, artisans, farmers and al
other classes means that these is
lands would soon become units fo
white habitation and will havesi al
it's commercial trend turned TOWARD
the Orient instead of toward TIL
United States. do not want t.
pose as an alarmist, but the situa
ton seems so grave that it shoult
be plainly set before the American
people.
The whole appearance Ut tn
outl, ing portions of Honolulu i
taking OH a decided Japanese char
acier, and one could imagine him
self in the heart of Japan rathe
than in an American territory
While The Japanese can take III
part in law making it is said thel
are gaining an influence over ma
nv of the native Hawaiians VIII