Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-21
MAY BE A BIG BLUEF
SOUNDS WELL ABROAD TO OES-
POTlC GOVERNMENTS.

W e''''h'Ss'o HCIo Is
no section of the Presidents message
to Congress that has caused more talk
than the section relating to Japanese
affairs on the Pacific coast. The gen.
eral opinion, though not the one gen.
orally voiced, is that the message 90
far as it deals with Japan is q gigantic
bluff. 1t sounds we'll, sounds particu-
larly we'll abroad. In this may be
noted the comments that have come
back by cable from London. The
British government has been having
anti-Asistic trouble OF its own in the
colonies recently, and has been obliged
to deal with the sentiment in Aus
tralia and the Transvaal. Therefore
the words about equality and frater.
nifty we're particularly welcome as be.
ing in line with the policy that Great
Britain has already adopted.
So far as Japan is concerned, the
statement in the message cannot be
accepted in other than good faith, and
it shows that the administration is
willing to do all it can to settle the
question to the satisfaction of Japan.
But If it be shown that the control OF
school affairs on the Pacific coast is
beyond the reach of the Federal gov.
eminent even through treaty rights,
then both Japan and the Federal gov
ernment will have to bow to the inevi.
table and do the best they Can under
the circumstances. The talk of using
military force against the States OF the
coast is we'll enough in published cor.
respondence, but the scheme of send.
ing Federal troops against State has
been tried once in this country, and il
is not likely that it will ever be tried
again over so small matter as the
schooling of Asiatics.
The probable course is that q tes,
cGse will be made in the courts, and
carried as speedily as possible to the
Supreme Court. If that tribunal de.
cides that the Japanese must be ad-
mitted to the public schools Of the
Coast. the people of California, Wash
ington and Oregon will probably ad'
nit them and then send their own
children elsewhere. But if the court
decides the opposite, the government
of Japan will be notified OF the deci
sion and the matter will be allowed to
rest. As several of the Senators and
Representatives have pointed out, any
talk OF war is worse than useless. l,
is silly.
No sooner has Congress gotten TO-
gether for the new session than there
is talk of an extra session in the air
1t is naturally over the question ol
tariff revision. There 10 now talk that
. special message will be sent to Con
gress, and that there will be a special
session called ON March 5th next
Massachusetts, is in the lead about
this. She wants tariff revision more
than any other of the manufacturing
States aud practically the whole Of the
State delegation is solid for the idea
The Democrats are OF course in favor
OF tariff revision and they hold thai
there is more prospect OF getting il
now than should the party wait til
Roosevelt may be succeeded by Taft
Fairbanks, Shaw, or some of the othe
men who are avoxed stand patiers
There is q question whether in Cast
the subject can bs brought up for dis
cussion, it would be wise to open th'
whole question. There is q stroni
element in favor OF settling on SOM
of the schedules that are now obviousl!
too high, and calling an extra session
specifically for the purpose OF adjust
ing them. Others hold that it woulc
be wiser to open up the whole subjec
and have q thorough. going revision
One thing is certain, and that is tha
most of the members who favor th'
revision scheme a. ell, think it wise
TO do the revising while the countr
is on the high.tide of prosperity rathe
than to wait and adjust the tariff dur
ing bad times and just when the coun
try could least afford it.
One good thing that has come ou
of Massac husetts this early in the ses
sion is the bill just introduced by Ser
ator Lodge for uniform child labor law
With the growth of factory bushes
in the country, this is becoming an
nually . more pressing problem, an
one that vitality affects the health an
well.being of the community. Mssss
chusetts has unquestionably q YER
good set of child labor statutes an
most of the States could do muc
worse than follow her example. Th
method by which it is proposed
reach the matter from Washington
to follow the line of the meat and puE
food laws and prohibit the trsnspo1
/ tation in interstate commerce of an
goods made in . factory where labo
under tho prohibited age is employed
This would strike Immediately at th
root of the matter and would be
good thing for all manufacturer
whether disposed TO be just and fai
or not.
Now that the Interstate Commerc
Commission has been enlarged, theI
seems to be more piling up for it tha
even the enlarged commission can d.
and there is serious talk OF adding tw
new members to it. One OF the fir'
jobs that it is expected to tackle is tn
investigation OF the Hartman systei
of railroads. These roads are allege
to constitute the greatest combinstio
in restraint of trade in this countr!
The Union Pacific is peculiarly liaol
to government supervision and contr'
A. ~I 81