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You will be glad to know that Japan and Hawaii are likely to come to a friendly settlement of their differences.

You will remember that it was suggested that the matter of the exclusion of the emigrants should be decided by arbitration.

When, however, the time came for Japan to state the points she was willing to submit to arbitration, she refused to allow the possession of the $50 to be discussed.

This, as you will recollect, was the whole point of the disagreement.

Hawaii refused to accept the immigrants because it came to her knowledge that the steamship company furnished them with contracts, and loaned them the $50 required by law to enable them to pass the custom-house.  The contracts were worthless, and the $50 was returned immediately on landing.

The Japanese Government in Tokio has come to the very wise and pleasant decision that the proper thing for it to do is to submit the whole case to the arbitrators and not enter into any conflict with Hawaii.

Up to the present time the letters sent by the Japanese Government have been of such a nature that they warranted the belief that Japan was ready to declare war on us on account of Hawaii.

In the present communications, however, the entire tone has changed.  They are friendly and pleasant, and appear to desire to preserve friendly relations with us.

This should be especially pleasing, for the Japanese are a fine, vigorous race of people, whom we cannot but admire for their spirited conduct in their war with China.  It would be a pity if we were forced to regard them in an unfriendly light.

It is reported that the reason for the change is that the Government has discovered that the information forwarded to it was misleading and calculated to give a wrong impression.

It is hinted that the Japanese minister in this country is the innocent cause of the trouble.  It seems that he became very intimate with the son of Claus Spreckels, the Hawaiian Sugar King.

Young Mr. Spreckels had of course his own ideas about Hawaiian matters, and told them to the Japanese minister.  This official felt that Mr. Spreckels must be thoroughly well acquainted with Sandwich Island affairs, and accepted all that he said as fact without attempting to investigate for himself.

He should not have done this, because, hard though it is for us to realize it sometimes, there are always two sides to every question, and all of us, even the fairest-minded, find it difficult to see both sides with equal clearness and justice.

With the best intentions it was impossible for Mr. Spreckels to look at matters from a disinterested standpoint, and the minister should have grasped this fact, instead of sending as facts to his Government statements that were merely the views of an interested party.

As it was, the Government in Tokio was told that there was not the slightest fear of the United States annexing Hawaii, that it was all talk and would never amount to anything, and that Japan could go ahead and force her immigrants on Hawaii without interference.