Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-12-18
TOday's Telegraphic News
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Washington, Dec l8-President
Roosevelt, today sent special message
to Congress transmitting the final report
of Secretary Metcalf on the situation af-
fecting the Japanese Ia San Francisco.
The following is the Presidents message:
To the Senate and House of Represent
atives:
inclose herewith for your informa-
ton the final report made to me per
sonally by Secretary Metcalf on the sii-
uation affecting the japanese in san
Francisco. The report deals with three
matters ofcontroyersy first, the eKclu-
sion of the japanese children from the
San Francisco schools; second, the boy
cotting of japanese restaurants, and,
third, acts of violence committed against
the japanese.
As to the first matter, call your es-
pecial attention to the very small number
of japanese children who attend school,
to the testimony as TO the brightness,
cleanliness, and good behavior of these
japanese children in the schools, and 10
the fact that, owing to their being scat
tered throughout the city, the require
ment for them all to 60 tn one special
school is impossible OF fulGlment aud
means that they cannot have school fs'
cilities. Let me point out further that
there would be no objection whatever to
excluding from the schools any Japanese
on the score of age Its obviously cot
desirable that young men should go to
school with children. The only point is
the exclusion ofihe children themselves
The number OF japanese children attend
ing the public schools in san Francisco
was very small. The government has al
ready directed that suit be brought to
test the constitutionality Of the act in
question; but my very earnest hope is
that such suit will not be necessary, and
tina. as a matter of comfy the citizens OF
San Francisco vii refuse to deprive the SO
young japanese children of education
and will permit them to go to the schoo
The question as to the violence against
the japanese is most admirably put by
Secretary Metcalf, and ] have nothing
| to add to his statement. am entirely
confident that, as Secretary Metcalf says,
the overwhelming sentiment Of the Siae
of California Is for law and order and
for the protection Of the Japanese in their
persons and property. Both the chief
Of police and the acting mayor of San
Francisco assured Secretary MetcaIf that
everything possible would be done TO
protect the japanese in the CITY, |
authorized and directed Secretary Me calf
to state that if there was failure TO pre-
tsct persons aud property, then the en-
tire powder of the federal government
within the limits of the Constitution
would be used promptly and vigorously
to enforce the observance OF Onr treaty,
the supreme law OF the land, which treaty
gusfanteed to Japanese residents every
where in the Union fuil and perfect protec-
ton for their persons and property; and to
this end everything in my power would
be done, and sl the forces OF the UDiIed
States, both civil and military, which |
could lawfully employ, would be em-
ployed call especial attention to the
concluding sentence OF Secretary Metcalfs
report of November &c, 1906.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec IS, 1906.