A statement has been made that the Japanese Government is willing to settle the immigration dispute with Hawaii for $100,000.

Hawaii is not anxious to make any such arrangement.  She is a little afraid that if she consents to do so, Japan will declare that she is bound in future to let in as many Japanese immigrants as the Mikado chooses to send.  She is anxious to reserve the right of declaring what citizens she will allow within her boundaries.

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The annexation of the islands is by some people regarded as assured.

The Senators and Congressmen who have visited the islands declare that there is no opposition to the idea.  Some few followers of the Queen Liliuokalani would prefer to have her once more on the throne rather than to be under the government of a foreign president, but there is no serious opposition to the treaty.

With this news comes the information that Mr. Spreckels, the Sugar King of Hawaii, has offered to withdraw his opposition to the treaty when he is convinced that his rights in the island are not to be interfered with.

Mr. Spreckels is a millionaire who has made most of his money through his vast sugar interests in the Sandwich Islands.  He was so afraid that his business would be hurt by annexation, that he threatened to spend half his fortune to prevent it.

Besides his sugar interests, he owns a line of steamers between Hawaii and San Francisco, and he controlled so many votes in Hawaii that he was a dangerous enemy to the project.

President Dole of the Sandwich Islands has been endeavoring to break Mr. Spreckels’ power, but has made very little progress until the other day, when he granted permission to one of the Pacific mail steamers to enter into competition with Mr. Spreckels’ boats for the carrying trade of the islands.  The permission stated that the President would allow the Pacific Mail Company to increase the number of vessels on the line if they desired to do so.

This was a dreadful blow to Mr. Spreckels.

The carrying trade with Hawaii is hardly large enough for several companies to make money at it, and as the new line will endeavor by reduced rates and increased accommodations to get the trade away from Mr. Spreckels, the chances are that he will lose a good deal of money through it.

It is in consequence of this that he is reported to have promised not to oppose the annexation of Hawaii if his interests are not interfered with.

It is said that President Dole is so anxious that nothing shall interfere with the annexation treaty that he is willing to promise Mr. Spreckels anything he asks in return for his assistance.

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Central America is in a very disturbed condition once more.

Revolutions are in progress, or have just been suppressed in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua; and Honduras is again in an unsettled state.