Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-12-14
Thoughts on the President s..Message

Thoughts on the President s. Message
President Roosevelt, in his late mes
sage to Congress, while advocating
som, measures that are cOmmeudable,
lauuc bee forth with his usual impet.
uosity in defense OF the absurd claim
OF Japan to equal rights 10 the COM
mon schools OF San Francisco. The
worst Of it is that his precipitanry has
evidently produced the impression on
the volatile nature of the little brown
man that threats OF retaliation have
been effective and that our people are
on the point of conceding all they de-
mand, and still more if need be. That
is the trouble in dealing with nation
of idolators. They have no higher
conception OF justice and fair dealing
than can he backed up by brute force.
After asserting that all nations stand
upon an equality, the President says:
Il am prompted to say this by the at.
tltude oi hostility here and there as
suhncd toward the japanese in this coun-
try. This hostility is sporadic, and is
limited TO very few places. Neverthe-
less it is most discreditable to us as
people, and it may be fraught with the
gravest consequences to the nation"
Mr.. Roosevelt then alluded to the
friendship" that has existed between
our country and Japan the past half a
century, during which time the latter
nation has surged go rapidly TO. the
front, that she now stands A" one OF the
greatest OF civilized nations" The
primary Specification OF the word civ
ilized" as used in this connection, is
reclaimed from savage life" but
when We consider that the nation still
clings to Buddhism, as the great re.
ligion OF the empire. shown by nearly
100000 Buddhist temples amid her
population of 100000, and the abil-
ity OF her people to live upon food that
has enabled Japs to toll at cutting
wood in this county, from ten to
twelve hours Q day, at q cost Of ninety
cents, it does not seem that they have
progressed very far from barbarian.
The main question that will be asked
by the average laborer is, What pos.
sible benefit can be derived from Q cit.
izenship like thatr
Mr.. Roosevelt declares "to shut
them (the Japanese) out Of the public
schools is wicked absurdity," when
the fact is that they never have been,
nor are they now, barred from the
educational system in California; but
simply q rule is enforced requiring
them to attend q separate school pro.
vided for them. So it will be seen
that all this furry has been created
simply from . disposition to be quer.
ulous and dictatorisl-probably for
advancement of some other and en-.
tirely different project.
If it be true, as alleged by the Presi.
dent, that " very few of our citizens act
badly" in this matter, will he explain,
why it is that the whole Pacific coast
stands as one man on this question?
May it not be that they have had gu.
perior advantages for arriving ct
correct opinion on the matterf May
not association with the hordes of j..
panese and Chinese who have focked
to our shores, shown their utter worth.
lessness and depravity as individuals,
aside from traits ingrained by centur.
les of adverse custom, that wholly in.
capscitate them from developing the
cardinal traits Of good citizenship? Is
Mr.. Roosevelt, or lie any other man
who has not studied these race pc.
culiarities, competent critic of this
cosmopolitan people who have extend.
ed the true, patriotic American spirit
to the western coasti Nay, verilyl
Now here is Mr.. Roosevelt's plan
for relief:
recommend to the Congress that
an act be passed specifically providing
for the naturalization of Japanese who
come here intending to become Ameri-
can citizens"
He closes his reference to this mat.
ter with this flourish OF his "big
stick:
Even as the law now is, something
can be done by the Federal government
toward this end, and in the matter now
before me affecting the Japanese, every
thing that it is in my power to do will
be done, and all of the forces, military
and civil, of the United States which l
may lawfully employ will be so en-
ployed."
Well, it will probably be long after
Teddy is dead and buried, politically
before idolatry will be introduced or
tolerated under American citizenship.
With regard to an income tax the
President says:
There is no more legitimate tax for
any State than tax on the franchises
conferred by that State upon street
railroads and similar corporations
which operate wholly within the
State boundaries, sometimes in one
and sometimes in several municipali.
ties or other minor divisions OF the
State. But there are many kinds of
taxes which can only be levied by the
General Government 80 IS to produce
the best results, because among other
reasons, the attempt to impose them
in one particular State too often re-.
suits merely in driving the corpora.
ton or individual affected to some
other locality or other State. The
National Government has long de.
rived its chief revenue from q tariff
on imports and from an internal and
excise tax. In addition to these there
is every reason why, when next our
system of taxation is revised, the
National Government should impose q