This question of annexation has been talked about since the year 1893.

In January, 1893, there was a revolution in Hawaii, because the people had found cause to dislike their queen, Liliuokalani.  This queen’s behavior had been very bad, and her rule had been a disgrace to the islands for some time.  At last the people would stand it no longer, and so removed her from the throne.

The people who revolted against the Queen were either Americans or people born of American parents settled in Hawaii.

They formed a government, and after many troubles asked the United States to take possession of the Hawaiian Islands, and, in return, to pay over $3,000,000 of debts which Hawaii had contracted, and a yearly income of $20,000 to the deposed queen, and also a lump sum of $150,000 to her daughter, Princess Kaulani.

Mr. Cleveland, who was President, opposed the idea of taking possession of the islands, and endeavored to restore Queen Liliuokalani to her throne.

His efforts were not successful.  The Hawaiians would not have her back, and having had time to establish a government for themselves, they felt as if they could do without the United States as well as their dark-skinned Queen.  So the question of annexing the islands fell through.

Now it is before us again with greater force than before.

It is evident that if we don’t want Hawaii, Japan does, and the time is drawing near when some decided step must be taken.

The Japanese plan for securing Hawaii seems to be similar to the English plan for getting possession of the Transvaal.

It seems to be their idea to fill the islands with Japanese, until the number of Asiatics is far greater than that of the Hawaiians.  Then they will demand a voice in the government, and when once they have secured that, it will be only a question of time when they will have the government of the islands under their control.

The people of Hawaii became suspicious of this plot when they found that the Japanese who came over in such hordes (sometimes as many as fifteen hundred in one week), were not laborers seeking work, as is the case with most immigrants.

It was found that the new arrivals belonged to the student class, and that after they arrived in the islands, they made no attempt to get anything to do, but seemed to be living on their incomes.

This made the Hawaiians suspicious that these emigrants were being sent over at the expense of their Government, and that the Mikado was supporting them until he had gained his ends, and secured the islands for himself.

Just lately there was a scare of fever in Honolulu, the port of Hawaii, and the baggage of the incoming people had to be carefully fumigated.  While doing this work the officers found to their surprise that nearly every Japanese immigrant had a soldier’s uniform done up in his baggage.

The Government does not know what to make of this, but has become so thoroughly alarmed that it is seeking the protection of the United States.