The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-19

I !
lance between the two nations. We are
always proud of this fact, but to our
great regret the local authorities of the
city of San Francisco, in order to court
favor with the union labor party, has
taken hasty action against a people of
a friendly nation,
We believe that there are many reasons
which support the objection of having
separate schools for our children. Among
them the following are the most import
ant which viii attract serious consid-
Grafton:
First. The separate school will greatly
deter the Amerieanization of our chill
dTen. Americans, as a nation, are peo-
pie composed of all the nationalitics of
the world and the japanese, too. since
they have come to live on the American
soil will be and should be Americanized
under the influence of American civiliza-
ton. Furthermore. the Japanese children
who are involved in the present question
are mostly American natives, and there
fore are destined to be first-class citizens
of the United States at maturity. Should
the authorities refuse to educate these
children under the principle of American
zation, it will surely bring deplorabe
results to the very foundation of the ma
ton.
Second. The action taken by the board
of education is a hostile one against Jap
anese, and hence the separate school is,
in fact, by no means as adequately pro-
vided as other schools. Even if this were
true it would be impossible for every
Japanese child in the city to go to one
special school from every direction and
from great distances. In other words,
it seems complete refusal of education
10 the Japanese children.
Third. The action taken by the board
of education is the refusal to recognize
a right already conceded under the exist
ing treaty between the United States and
Japan. Under this treaty we. the Jap
anese in the United States, are entitled
to receive similar treatment with the
subjects of Great Britain, France, Ger
many, Austria Hungary and Italy; yet
the city authorities have taken an action
to discriminate against children, and at
! the same time receiving the children OF
the subjects of other treaty nations 1t Is
morally disgrace to our nation. We
must stand for the right and dignity of
| our country
We are of the opinion, however, that
the public sentiment of the United States
is not in sympathy with the action taken
by the San Francisco board of education.
The historical friendship existing be-
tween the United tSates and Japan is not
| so easily to be forgotten. No one on
earth has greater confidence in the sim
certify and uprightness of the President
of the United States than the Japanese.
Secretary Metcalf is the man who knows
the people of this coast better than any
other man. Here rests our confidence In
his coming to this coast to investigate
all conditions and affairs. We have with.
drawn a lawsuit against the board of ed
| ucation from the circuit court in order
to express our confidence in the coming
of the secretary and his governments ac-
ton. We greet the honorable secretary
! with great hope and the confidence of
child in his parent.
From the Soko Shimbun, October %, 1906
RETALIATION.
The separate school and restaurant
questions are certainly examples of fla
grant violation of the treaty of 1894. The
state authorities having taken no ade-
| quate measures to suppress such wrong
doing, they must certainly bear the re-
sponsibity and may, so far as we are
concerned, be deemed as wrongdoers
themselves. What are we to do under
the circumstances?
One of the home newspapers is report
ed to advocate immediate retaliation
against America and American goods
Would such procedure be a wise one? 1t
is true that our military and naval forces
|
the Pacific today. But we must ever
keep in mind that our martial prowess
is not an instrument for destroying in.
ternational friendships OF long standing.
Fifty-four years ago, when our country
entered the family of nations, America
acted as our godfather and for the last
half century the growing intimacy was
never for a moment questioned.
Let us not, then, act rashly in any at
| tam al.
ed amity Let us eonfide in the justice
of the American government. When
such amicabe settlement is nnattainable.
then, and then only, should we talk Of
| retaliation.
(From the Soko Shimbun, October 90. 1906
THE MANIFESTO OF THE GENERAL
MASS MEETING OF THE JAPANESE
COLONY.
Any important question which concerns
our welfare should be settled by public
! opinion. The opinion of an individual or
small minority should have no weight III
settling serious affairs
The school question and the boycott of
} Japanese restaurants in San Francisco
would seem to casual observer to be
of trivial nature affecting only a small!
portion of our people i'm San Francisco,
but one will soon realize that the ques-
| llOlS III issue are great pToDlellS VI ia-
tional importance when he considers its
, causes the motives, and the effects upon
our future development at hpme and
abroad. Any unnecessary delay would
tend to aggravate the situation.
1t is needless to repeat here how long
we have been suffering under such un-
Just treatment and unfair discrimination
at the hands of public officials as wei,
as of private individuals in San Fran
cisco.
Our occupations are hampered. our res
, licences are assailed. our lives and prop
erty unprotected the dignity of our en-
pire impaired, international comfy to-
ward our empire ignored. Can we, under
such conditions, claim that we are the
subjects of Japan, with which the United
States is on the most cordial terms?
We have suffered much hitherto with
out murmurng. but incessant persccu-
tions. after the terrible experiences of
the earthquake, have placed us in the
/, last extremity of endurance. If ever
, there was a time when patience ceased
TO be a virtue, this certainly is that time.
Under such circumstances we should
not depend on our consul or on the Jap
anese Association of America alone. but
: we, Japanese residents in California,
! should stand together and take concerted
action against the most unjustiiable
! treatment at the hands Of the unscrupu-
, lous elements in California. AS a first
step let us have a general mass meeting
of our colony in order to shape public
opinion among us.