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.

As a matter of fact, it now appears that Japan had no hostile plans in sending her immigrants to Hawaii.

While it is true that many of these men were soldiers, it is stated by those who have studied the matter that they were not soldiers in the regular Japanese army, but men who had fought in the war with China.

The enormous strides which Japan has made since the war, and which have roused the admiration of all her sister nations, cannot have been accomplished without changes in the thoughts and habits of the Japanese people.

It seems that the progressive spirit which the war awakened made the Japanese restless; the soldiers who had been serving in the field could not readily settle down to the old ways of life. They wanted fresh worlds to conquer.

The Government, realizing that something must be done with this restless element, instituted and encouraged the idea of emigration. There appeared to be a great demand for such people in Hawaii, and therefore the emigration to the Sandwich Islands was commenced. It would perhaps have been wiser to send the people to the recently acquired island of Formosa, but the march of progress had not yet reached this island, while the Americanized Hawaiian Islands offered inducements which the newly awakened Japanese ambition craved for.

Be that as it may, it now seems certain that there was no more serious motive in sending emigrants to Hawaii than the endeavor of Japan to find occupation for her surplus population.

The determined stand taken by the Hawaiian Government, and the absolute certainty that the United States would uphold it, finally opened the eyes of the Japanese to their mistake. The minister was recalled after inquiries had been instituted, and the attitude of the Japanese representatives in Hawaii was changed from haughty displeasure to the utmost friendliness.

The outcome of the whole matter has been a pleasantly worded letter from Japan, in which she consents to submit the whole immigration question—contract, $50, and all—to arbitration.

It is extremely gratifying to all lovers of peace to find that one more national misunderstanding has been settled without resorting to the horrors and cruelties of war.

News comes that the month of reflection given to the Manchester cotton-workers, before the reduction of wages was to go into effect, has borne good fruit.

Instead of going on strike and causing distress to themselves and disaster to the masters, the workmen have decided to submit the matter to arbitration.

If it is proved to their satisfaction that the masters are really paying higher wages than the state of the business permits, they will submit to the reduction.

They want to be assured that the masters are telling them the truth, and for this no one can blame them. Five per cent. of their earnings is too much to be given up unless it is absolutely necessary.

This settlement is another triumph for arbitration.

The treaty entered into by the Russian, Japanese, and United States sealing commissioners has been signed.

The treaty prohibits deep-sea sealing in waters controlled by them.

The treaty does not apply (so far as Great Britain is concerned) to the Bering Sea. By the treaty of Paris this sea was declared to be an open sea, free to all at a certain distance from the coast; therefore Great Britain can indulge in deep-sea sealing in those waters if she pleases.

It is hoped, however, that England's love of justice will convince her that there must be some truth in the statement about the decrease of the seal herd, and not wishing to be the only country engaged in improper sealing, she will eventually add her signature to the treaty.

This seems the more likely as it is reported that at the sealing conference with Great Britain, which follows the Russo-Japanese conference, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Canadian Premier, will endeavor to settle the disputed matters satisfactorily.

The Canadian Premier has always desired to maintain the most friendly relations with us, and though he has given no hint of his intentions on the sealing question, it is understood that he means to reach an amicable understanding with us.

It is also said that he intends to see the President while he is in Washington, and if possible clear away all the existing difficulties between Canada and the United States.

The sealing trouble is only one of the matters which need arranging. There is the Kootenay affair, the Klondike question, and a number of other fishery and tariff differences.

Our Government will soon have an opportunity of testing the value of the reindeer which have been imported into Alaska.

A number of whaling-vessels are fast in the ice off the coast of Alaska, and it is necessary to send food to the sailors on them to save them from starvation.

These ships went up through the Bering Sea this summer to ply their dangerous trade as usual. The winter set in earlier than usual, and eight of them have been caught in the ice off Point Barrow, which is on the north of Alaska, jutting out into the Arctic Ocean.

There are about two hundred and seventy-five men on these vessels. Not expecting to spend the winter in the Arctic Ocean, they were not prepared for such an emergency, and none of them carried more than a three-months' supply of food. The gravest fears are entertained lest they die of starvation.

The matter was brought to the attention of the President, who immediately called a Cabinet council, at which it was decided to send a relief expedition to these men.

The plan is to charter a steam-whaler, the