The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-11
EROM OTHER PENS
HYsrER1A IN CONGRESSMAN.

l. -
CALIFORNIA; delegation in congress is
in danger of discrediting Itself at home,
/ by its extravagant criticism of that part
/ Of the presidents message relating to
the Japanese school question. San
4 Francisco is not the state of California.
And the wild frenzy of indignation"
4 periodically displayed by our congress-
men three thousand miles away, finds
few echoes among their constituents at
I home, unless 1t be In Mr.. Kahn's and
/ Mr.. Knowlands districts.
These gentlemen, whose daily walks
are in the shadow of our nations capt.
toll should, of all men, remember that
] thew are citizens of the United stat
as we'll as of California. and that tn ey
are not plenipotentiaries to foreign
government, but servants of whole
people. owing loyalty to a nation, as
well as to a state. Mr.. Roosevelt in
! addressing congress. speaks as the
president of our country, not as an
| Individual, and as one charged with
the highest and gravest responsible
ties.
Among these is the maintenance of
our treaty obligations, and the avoid
ance of complications which might re-
suit in war. None knows better than
he what dangers may threaten our
peace. His utterances are clothed with
authority, and in matters of such inn
port beyond all others, he should
and the people. What are San Fran
ciscos local squabbles, as compared
with the most vital interests of the
nation?
Rehind the president, in his attitude,
is the highest law in the land, the con-
stitution of the United States. In the
most emphatic language, 1t makes our
foreign treaties the supreme law,
above anything that congress could do,
superior to anything that states or
cities have the right to do. This au-
thority was expressly delegated to the
treaty making power of the govern
ment-the president and the senate
japan knows this. We can not say to
JaDan that the federal government has
not power to interfere IN state or
municipality, to obtain her treaty
rights. She can point to the article
and section of our constitution which
expressly makes it the duty OF the red
eral government to do So
We have hoped San francisco would
find a way to settle the question, with
out embroiling the whole country She
has an undoubted right to provide sep
arate school for the japanese, provided
this is done. not by way or dlscrlmlna-
ton. but to give greater efficiency to
the educational system. And she has
right to bar grown men from her
primary and grammar SCHOOLS We
must approve and sympathize with the
ob4ectfons TO admitting adult Japanese.
or any other japanese. TO the classes
and school rooms intended Tor children
of tender and impressionable age
regulation limiting the age OF pupils
l., attendance would be bot Illegal and
Il, But it must not be dis
criminative.
we believe san Francisco will find
a vTav ont of the difficulty, and hope
she win do so without federal inter
yentfon That the latter will be forth
coming, however, unless the proper
steps are taken to make such de-
nlorable course unnecessary, is certain.
Meantime, stop this silly hullabaloo
about insults to the state Of California.
Los Angeles News