The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-25
THE SpCNk OF FRISCO.
Stands PA: on the independent Control
Gf Ter Schools.

There is no more doubt that the
scEcCi board of san Francisco intends
to sand by its guns in the matter Of
compelling Japanese here resident to
attend separate schools than there IS
hat in this course the board will be
backed up overwhelmingly by the pub
lie sentiment Of this city and state.
Not only is California behind San
Francisco in this matter, but the entire
Pacific seaboard is behind California
as we'll.
There is nc question whatever that
the feeling against the japanese is ris-
ing fast. It is already very nearly
as strong as the sentiment that forced
the passage of the Chinese Exclusion
act. The Chinese population is act
ually decreasing in California. while
the japanese population Is increasing
by hops, skips and jumps.
As to any suggestion of practical
federal interference San Francisco is
more than spunky She is positively
impudeEt. Secretary Metcalf," says
one Of the most conservative of the
local papers, SIS Iot, a3 a United
STAGES Official, entitled 10 any informa-
ton whatever in regard TO our schools.
What is given is given as a matter
of courtesy"
IN short. the general tone Cf public
opinion here Is that the treatment
melted cut TO the japanese regarding
school accommodations is none Of the
federal governments business. Cali
fornia does not believe that President
Roosevelt really intends to take il up
Cn-io~C1r- S.T,a h1syn,-1r 49,. ---I
ing Of Secretary Metcdf here. osten-
sibly TO investigate, and report, is
merely a harmless and empty way OF
soothing the Japanese ire
1T is throwing a bone To a hungry
deg to stop his ~confouIdcd bowling"
is the way one man put it.
The school boards action is not
merely the deed IF a narrow-minded,
politically subservien- body. IL repre-
scnts the feeling Of Il vast majority Of
the population. REGARDLESS Of parry
affiliations. In no other act of its
CbZS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES silrdl :nr
career has the citys school board
shown itself so truly a representative
oody. California and the coast are SOL
idly behind il. Let the east make no
mistake about that Also. let the east
consider the arguments put forward to
justly the school boards action.
II will he news TO most fasteners
tL.t almost none Of the Japanese
school are boys. Practically without ex-
cePtion they are fu~ll-grawn men be-
tween the ages Of 20 and 60 Yet ia
pan expects them to be allowed 10 sit
side by side. day after day, with Amer
lean boys, and more extraordinary yet.
girls Of tender years How" inquiries
San Francisco. would You in the esat
Ike 1t ii YOU were asked TO send your
boyE,and especially our girls. 10 school
with full-grown men. even were they
OF the same race"
Whatever answer the east may make
To this query. San Francisco emphati-
call- does not like Il in the very lit
test least. nor does she propose to put
up with II.
The principal object of the japanese
WI aI-end the public schools is to ac-
quire familiarity with the spoken Eng
lish language. San Francisco declares IL
most unreasonable and unjust in every
way to ask teachers 20 spend a lot of
their time that belongs to the children
OF San Francisco for the purpose of
drilling English into japanese heads