The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-07
Births and Arrivals More Than
Number OF Deaths and
Departures.
ONLY A FEW CARE TO VOTE
Secretary Mott-Smith Thinks
They win Not Be a Factor
in Politics.
fTrom saturdny s Advertiser.l }


The number of Japanese in Hawaii
is larger today than ever before and
is steadily increasing, according to the
estimate of Secretary Mott-Smith, who
is probably the man best posted in the
matter. Notwithstanding the fact that
deaths and departures take away a
good many, these two causes are not
sufficient to counterbalance the arrivals
and births.
And Of the estimated 10000 to 10000
Japanese now in Hawaii, several hun
dred are probably qualified to vote and
several thousand more will be able to
vote in few years, since they were
born on American soil.
But Secretary Mott-Smith stated yes
terday that he does not anticipate that
the Japanese are liable ever to become
an important political factor in Ha.
waii, for the reason that they evince
little or no interest in politics and very
few of them at present exercise the
right of franchise. "Only an import
ant commercial question would be
liable, L think, to induce the japanese
to resort to the ballot" said Mr.. Mott
Smith.
Mr.. Mott Smith states that the birth
rate among the japanese is high and
getting higher every year. ''At first, y
he says, cit was low on account of the
fact that up to 1900 or 1902 few except
men came in. But since 1902 the
women have been coming in faster ev'
cry year and there have, consequently,
been more marriages and more births
I estimate that the Japanese birth rate
is now about $500 year, and it will
be higher. 1t is considerably higher
think, than the death rate
"Since June /, 1900, there have been
1867 Japanese birth records and this
record is very incomplete. The mum
ber of deaths recorded in the SAINT
period is s49O-and the death record il
much more complete than the birtf
record. So it is evident that the Japa
nese population appears to be increas
ing very fast.
ber of Japanese children born here arr
sent back to Japan to be educated, bu
most of them will return some day. 81
there appears little chance of the tota
Japanese population diminishing. 1t il
rather more liable to increase.
Certificates of Hawaiian Birth.
A very large number of the Japa
nese. have been taking out certificate
of Hawaiian birth for their childrel
who were born here. For several year
the office of the territorial secretar
has had charge of this work, but afte
June 80 it is TO be taken over by tn
federal authorities. Henry O'Sulliva1
of Secretary Mott Smiths office, ha
for the past four weeks been on th
other islands finishing up this work
and it is estimated that in that tim
he has registered about 1500-and h
is not through yet. Secretary Mott
Smith states that Mr.. o Sullivan ha
been on Hawaii and is now on Mau
He is to visit Molokai and Lanai, an
someone else will probably be sent t
Kauai to finish up the work on tha
island
Most of the Japanese who came t
the Islands in the early years of Japa
nese immigration settled on Kauai, an
it is on that island that most of tn
Hawaiian born Japanese, old enough t
vote, are located. But Mr.. Mott-Smit
SAYS that at the last election only 81
japanese voted in this Territory; at tn
election before that none voted, an
at the previous election only two Q
three cast their ballots.