He felt sure that if it should be proved that the Hawaiian Government
had acted unfairly to the emigrants, or had broken the treaty between
the two countries, there would be no trouble in arranging that a
reasonable money claim for damages should be paid to Japan.

Mr. Akiyama was most anxious to begin the inquiry as soon after landing
as possible, and so no time was lost in getting to work.

He wanted to know on what grounds the emigrants had been refused, and so
he was told the Hawaiian side of the trouble.

According to this, it began nearly two years ago, when the Hawaiian
Government made a regulation that a certain number of the laborers
employed on the plantations must be brought from other countries than
Japan.

Japan immediately asked why this regulation was made, and Hawaii replied
that she had a right to import laborers from what country she pleased.

This was the commencement of the bad feeling between the two countries
on the emigrant question. Japan, however, still continued to send over
her laboring class in vast numbers.

Under the immigration laws of Hawaii, every immigrant seeking admission
to the country is bound to have not less than fifty dollars in cash in
his pocket and a contract in his possession that will guarantee him
employment for two years.

It was brought to the attention of the Hawaiian Government by the agents
of the two steamship companies that a fraud was being practised upon the