The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-01
fspecial to The Worldly

THAT the MlkadO has ever harDoTed
definite intention to occupy the Ha'
vVaiian Islands or that a controversy
Between Japan and the United States
over the possession of the territory in
the Pacific Ocean at any time was i'm.
nlinent has been so generally and vigor.
ously denied by prominent officials of
both governments that the story has
finally been looked upon as lingo
romance.
But that Japan actually planned for
a number of years to take Hawaii
forcibly and was foiled at the hour of
making the attempt, in February, 1893,
by the clear sightedness and courage
of John L. Stevens, United States Min
lister to the islands, is the disclosure
of Frank A. Hosmer. Mr.. Hosmer is
now a Representative from Amherst
IN the Massachusetts Legislature, and
he gives The World the first authentic
published account of the stealthy role
Japan played in the Hawaiian revolu-
tion.
The information in possession of Mr..
Hosmer came to him through his iden-
tifeation with the uprising which abol-
forced the abdication of Queen Liliuo-
kalani. For a period of ten years he
occupied the Office of president of Oahu
College, better known as the American
college in Hawaii He was included
In the coterie of men who were the
heart and brains of the finally success
full fight to save Hawaii to the United
States, and his efficient work as an of
e IL -. md
as a member of the Advisory Council to
the President of the Provisional Gov
errment and, later, the Republic of Ha.
wall, won him a place in the list OF
those whom the deposed queen prom
ised to make it her first business to be-
head as soon as she regained her lost
throne.
Japanese Have Grievance.
HThe japanese have an old score to
settle with this country says Mr.. Hos
er, (which dates back to the morning
when Minister Stevens established in
Hawaii an American Proteetorate.
The Mikado s Government first con-
ceived the idea of annexing Hawaii, ac
cording to Mr.. Hosmer, some years pre-
vious to the revolution. The men who
planned to execute this coup laid plans
that promised a fulillment of their
hopes, and it is certain that they never
dreamed of failure. As soon as it be
came apparent that the days of the
Hawaiian monarchy were numbered, the
Japanese Government, he says, insti-
tuted policy of sending its ex-soldiers
to Honolulu to seek positions as labor
ers on the extensive plantations that
bordered the capital. After this fashion
the japanese had intrenched themselves
in the island, until, when the monarchy
finally went to pieces, they had an
army of more than 10000 trained sol
diers, it is claimed, within a short dis
tance of Honolulu.
t.The Government passed into the
hands of the missionary element on
the evening of Jan. IS, 1881 says
Mr. Hosmer. "The moment had ar
rived for which the Mikado had pa
tiently waited and prepared for years,
and he was not slow to act. The revo-
lutionists awoke upon morning IN
February to discover two japanese bat
t1eships at the entrance TO the harbor.
Beneath the decks of the Naniwa, the
flagship, were 10000 modern rifles and
modified in Honolulu were approx
mstely that number of ex-soldiers of
the japanese Army who had deserted
their farm implements and pruning
knives with the expectation of secur-
ing tools of another variety"
Battleship Carried Hidden Rifles.
Mr.. Hosmer justifes to The World
his assertion that the Naniwa carried
arms of the ex-Japanese soldiers ashore
as follows:
"Our knowledge of the hidden rifles
in the hold of the Naniwa came to US
from several sources-aIl Japanese
and in manner that could leave not
the slightest doubt in our minds SO
far as the facts were concerned.
"We were compelled for our own
protection to have a thorough system
of espionage, and there was practically
nothing of Importance that escaped our
spies. Our knowledge of the situation
made US morally certain that these
rifles would arrive soon after the out
break of the revolution.
F1The japanese are willy race and
they are also boastful. It was this lat
ter characteristic that enabled us to
authenticate our early suspicious. Meth
er on land nor on shipboard was any
secret made among the Mikado s sub
iects of the mission of the Japanese
battleships.
Before the battleships arrived we
had been in receipt of information that
compelled us to expect the arrival of
the battleships and the rifles. The bat
tleships had been in the harbor but
short time when. not from one source
but from several, we knew that these
arms were under the matches of the
Napiwa and that Commander Togo was
in Hawaiian waters for the purpose of
landing them. 1t was no surmise then,
but the cold facts. brought to us by
the japanese themselves, who openly
Dragged of what they were going to do
to u.s.
It was in such a crisis, according to
Mr. Hosmer, that United States Min
dster Stevens foiled the japanese and {
preserved the islands to the United
States Before the japanese battle :
ships were abreast the harbor fortified
tions the Hawaiian flag had been hauled 5
down and the Stars and Stripes were
raised to the heads of the fagstaffs.
Stevens had declared an American pro- !