The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-13


Il says concerning the question of the
right of Japanese to all the privi-
leges in the public schools which
are enjoyed by the children OF Amer
lean citizens is of paramount import
ance. but the high stand he takes upon
that issue is but the continuation of his
views upon every other public mat
ter. He says boldly, and no doubt
meant to say it vehemently. that the
treatment the people of San Francisco
are according the Japanese in the mat
ter of public school privileges "is the
sure mark of low civilization. a low
morality" He calls the act Of the
School Board in shutting japanese stu
dents out of public schools which white
children attend a wicked absurdity-
More is the pity that the President is
not more explicit. It would be inter-
esting to know if he meant that the
moral standard OF the public schools Of
California is already too low to be low
cred further by having the low code of
morals Of the japanese twined about it
Such meaning may be given to his
words without violating a just interpre-
tation of them--Berkeley Gazette.
1t would take at least seventeen
Roosevelts, backed by the army and
navy. TO force the people Of California
TO consent to the Presidents idea con-
corning the Japanese and our public
schools.-Napa Journal.
The strenuous Roosevelt will have to
back down from the position he has
taken. and he will back down long be-
fore sentiment in California will
change. All the Presidents talk about
the Japaneses rights under treaty is the
merest rot, about on a par with the
demago roar of professional agita-
tors that the Japanese are running out
white labor, when there is not enough
of that or similar form of labor in the
State by a hundred thousand.-Hol-
lister Advance.
The people of California can afford
to treat President Roosevelt's amiable
weakness for the Japanese as a matter
more to be pitied than condemned. be-
cause he is talking about something
of which he knows nothing. But when
| he contends in his clustering way that
the japanese contention is right and
should be sustained, even il it required
| the armed force of the Federal Gov
eminent, he provokes the same spirit
of contempt that one displays to the
/ buffer, and forfeits the respect Of the
people of California. whom he threat
1 ems with armed interference.
/ The President is wrong and the best
thing he can do under the circum-
stances is to gracefully admit his error
and submit to being placed right by
/ the representatives of the people of
/ California, who have decided advan-
| tage over Mr.. Roosevelt in that they
have studied the question involved at
I IL
touch with the Japanese immigrants,
and the contact has not served to raise
! the little brown man in the public
Observation-Disclosures Register.
The President is quite Incorporate in
his argument and conclusions and more
than Incorporate in the language that
! cannot be accepted other than as
menace We have not de-
barred the Japanese from our public
schools. Far from it. we have, in rec
ognition of the age disparities and of
the inevitable conflict between the Oc-
cidental and the Oriental nationali-
ties, provided separate schools for these
aliens - Our estimable President
has certainly applied the big stick"
this time to California. and he has
raised a hornets nest about his ears
that he will not hear the last of in the
|
Herald
President Roosevelt cannot force the
people of the Pacific Coast to accept his
views in this matter any more than he
could force the people of Arizona to
accept statehood with New Mexico.
They admire his character. recognize
his honest worth. admit the nobility of
his motives and honor his courageous
sense of public duty, but-and from this
they will not budge-they know their
! own business better than the Presi-
dent and appreciate the situation with
its responsibilities, penalties and dan
gers far more keenly than he can The
Japanese will be protected in all their
personal and property rights. but they
will not be admitted to citizenship nor
social equality. That's hat.-Oakland
Tribune.
Roosevelt may be able to induce Con-
gress to pass law providing for the
naturalization of the Japanese. al
though that is extremely doubtful, but
all of the forces at his command can
not make the people of this State ad-
nit the Japanese to the same schools
that are attended by white children.