The sun., 1906-12-05


our gates. II is q sure mark Of q low civ
! ilization, low morality, TO abuse or dis
criminate against or in any wav humiliate
such stranger who has come here lawfully
and who il conducting himself properly.
To remember this is incumbent on every
American citizen. and il ia. OF course, pecu-
| liarly incumbent on every Government offi-
cial, whether OF the nation or OF the sew
eral States
am prompted to say this by the atti-
tude OF hostility here and there assumed
toward the Japanese in this country. This
hostility Is sporadic and il limited to a very
few places. Nevertheless it il most dis
creditable to us as people, and IL may
to the nation. The friendship between the
United States and Japan has been continu-
Gus since the time over half a century ago,
when Commodore Perry, by his expedition
to Japan, first opened the islands to vest
ern civilization. Since then the growth Of
Japan has been literally astounding. There
Is not only nothing to parallel il, but moth
ing to approach II in the history OF civil
lied mankind. Japan has a glorious and
ancient past. Her civilization is older than
that OF the nations OF northern Europe
the nations from whom the people OF the
United States have chiefly sprung. But
fifty years ago Japans development
was still that Of the Middle Ages.
During that fifty years the progress
OF the country in every walk in life has been
a marvel 60 mankind, and she now stands
as one Of the greatest of civilized nations:
great in the arts Of war and in the arts of
peace; great in military, in industrial, in
artistic development and achievement.
Japanese soldiers and sailors have shown
themselves equal in combat to anv OF whom
history makes note. She has produced
great generals and mighty admirals her
fighting men, ahoat and ashore, show all
the heroic courage, the unquestioning,
unfaltering loyalty, the splendid indiffer-
ence to hardship and death, which marked
the Loyal Ronins; and they show also that
they possess the highest ideal Of patriotism.
products eagerly sought for in all lands.
The industrial and commercial develop
ment OF Japan has been phenomenal; greater
than that Of any other country during the
same period. At the same time the advance
In science and philosophy is no less marked.
The admirable mana cement OF the japanese
Red Cross during the late war, the efficiency
and humanity Of the Japanese officers,
nurses and doctors, won the respectful
admiration Of all acquainted with the facts.
Through the Red Cross the Japanese people
sent over 500 600 to the sufferers Of San
Francisco, and the gift was accepted with
gratitude by our people. The courtesy OF
the Japanese. nationally and individually,
has become proverbial. To no other coun-
try has there been such an increasing num-
ber Of visitors from this land as to Japan.
In return, Japanese have come here in
great numbers. They are welcome, So
cially and intellectually, in all our col
leges and institutions OF higher learn
ing, in all our profe ssional and social bodies.
The Japanese have won in a single genera
ton the right to stand abreast of the fore
most and most enlightened peoples OF
Europe and America; they have won on
their own merits and by their own exer-
tions the right to treatment on a basis Of
fun and frank equality. The overwhelm-
ing mass of our people cherish a lively re-
gard and respect for the people OF japan,
and IN almost every quarter OF the Union
the stranger from Japan is treated as he
deserves; that is he is ire ate d as the stranger
from any part OF civilized Europe is and
deserves to be treated. But here and
there a most unworthy feeling has mani
fe ste d itself toward the Japanese-the feel
ing that has been shown in shutting them
out from the common schools in San Fran
cisco and In nutterings against them in
one or two other places because OF their
efficiency as workers. To shut them out
from the public schools is a wicked alb
stlrdity when there are no first-class COL
leges in the land, including the unive rsties
and colleges Of California. which do not
gladly welcome Japanese students and on
which japanese students do not reflect
credit. We have as much to learn from
Japan as Japan has to learn from us. and no
nation is fit to teach unless it is also willing
to learn. Throughout Japan Americans
are well treated and any failure on the part
OF Amer at home to treat the Japanese
with like courtesy and conside ration is by
just 80 much a confession Of inferiority in
our civilization.
Our nation fronts on the Pacific Just as
IL fronts on the Atlantic. We hope to play
a constantly growing part in the great
ocean OF the Orient. We wish, as we ought
to wish, for a great commercial development
in our dealings with Asia, and it is out OF
the question that we should permanently
have such development unless we freely
and gladly extend to other nations the
same measure OF justice and good treat
ment which we expect to receive in return.
IL is only q very small body of our citizens
that act badly. Where the Federal Gov
ernnment has power IL will deal summarily
with any such. Where the several States
have power l earnestly ask that they also
deal wisely and promptly with such con-
duct, or else this small body of wrong
doers may bring shame upon the great
mass OF their innocent and right-thinking
fellows-that is, upon our nation as a whole.
Good manners should be an international
no less than an individual attribute. / ask
fair treatment for the Japanese as would
ask fair treatment for Germans or English
men, Frenchmen, Russians or Italians.
l ask IL as due TO humanity and civilization.
l ask il as due to ourselves because we must
act uprightly toward all men.
| recommend TO the Congress that an act
be passed specifically providing for the
naturaliz alton OF Japanese who come here
intending to become American citizens.
One OF JDe great NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. attenu-
ing the Performance of our International
obligations is the fact that the statutes of
the United States are entirely inadequate.
They fail to give TO the national Govern
ment sufficiently ample power, through
United States courts and by the use of the
army and navy, to protect aliens in the
rights re cured to them under solemn treaties
which are the law Of the land. therefore
earnestly recommend that the criminal
and civil statutes OF the United States
be so amended and added to as to enable
the President, acting for the United States
Government, which is responsible in our
international relations, TO enforce the rights
of aliens under treaties. Even "a the law
now IL something can be done by the Federal
Government toward this end, and in
the matter now before me affecting
the Japanese everything that it
is in my power to do will be
military and civil, Of the United States
which I may lawfully employ will be so
employed. There should, however, be no
particle Of doubt as TO the power Of the
National Government completely to perform
and enforce its own obligations to other
nations. The mob Of a single city may at
any time perform acts Of lawless violence
against some class Of foreigners which
would plunge US into. war. That city by
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