The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-07
President Roosevelt's
Absurd Position.

In line with nearly every newspa-
per in the south, as well as a major
ity throughout the country, the Mont
gomery Journal takes a decided stand
in opposition to the position of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, as expressed in his
message to congress, that the San
Francisco school board should be
compelled to admit Japanese schol-
ars into the schools provided for white
children, relative to which it has the
following to say:
1t is unfortunate that President
Roosevelt should have married an 9TH
erwiSe fairly good message on the
race question as to have insisted that
the San Francisco school board should
admit the Japanese to their public
schools. He calls this discrimination
"discreditable to US as a people," and
adds that to shut them out of our
public schools rs wicked absurdity."
He then recommends that the civil
and criminal statutes of the United
States be so amended as to enable the
president, acting for the United States
government, which is responsible for
our international relations, to enforce
the rights of aliens under our treat
les
That is, the president wants the
power to force the school board of
San Francisco to admit Japanese chill
dren to the public schools, and to force
Mongolians into our hotels and our
places of public amusement and every
where they think they may be emit
tied to enter, regardless of race, col
or or previous condition" etc.
The president permits himself to
take as a basis for this argument the
statement that we should not discrimi-
nate against the stranger within our
gates, or humiliate him. All we have
a right to question" says the presl'
dent in his message, lis the mans
conduct. If he is honest and upright
in his dealings with his neighbor and
with the state, then he is entitled TO
respect and good treatment. Especial
" do we need to remember our duty
to the stranger within our gates. it is
the sure mark of low civilization, a
low morality, to abuse or. discriminate
against or in any way humiliate such
stranger who has come here lawfully
and who is conducting himself proper
w. TO remember this is incumbent
on every American citizen. and it is
of course, peculiarly incumbent Oh
every government official, whether OF
the nation or of the several states
The absurdity of this position may
not have occurred to the president IN
his desire to be friendly and his hasty
preparation of his message, frank witt
the Japanese and TO maintain his pc
sition for a fair and square deal fol
all.
But the fact is, to treat a stranger
with courtesy within our gates apple:
simply to business relations. We are
not required to invite the stranger
to orr home and fireside and make
social equal of him. We are not re
uuired to associate with him anywhere
on terms of social equality, and 1t !:
only the ill-bred and self-assertive VINO
expect such recognition, and they only
show themselves the more unworthy
and contemplate by it.
/ Under the general rule laid dow
by the president, we should have Il
| take TO our homes and tireside every
visitor who might come to us from
other lands, however unworthy h;
might be of even backing the shoes
of a decent and self-respectinE people
The relations of our schools TO on
homes are so close and intimate tina
we cannot separate the one from th'
other. The white man will not per
nit his child to mix and mingle il
schools with race he feels is his in
ferior. whose habits and ideas OF Coz
and morality are different and dan
gerOus. and he is not bound by an!
demands of courtesy. manhood o
honesty, to make this sacrifice. wheth
err the race be native born or come t.
JUS in the guise of strangers and visl
tors. seeking knowledge and socia
recognition.
Roosevelt asks that a dangerou
weapon be plased in the hands of TIT
president, when he asks congress 4
give him the power Ito enforce TIT
rights of aliens under our treaties