The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-19
EXCLUSION OF
JAP CHILDREN
Roosevelt Sends Message to
Congress With the Report
of Secretary MetcaIf.
TEST SUIT TO BE BROUGHT
GOVERNMENT BOUND TO PRO.
TECT ORIENTALs.

Washington, Dec. 1S-President Roose-
welt today transmitted to congress Sec
rotary Metcalf's report on the Japanese
situation in San Francisco. accompany
ing 1t with recommendations of his own
The presidents message was as follows:
10 the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
lnclose herewith for your information
the maj report made to me personally bv
Secretary Metcalf on the Situation af
1ectlng the Japanese in San Francisco
Inc report deals with three matters OF
I oileroversyLfirst, the exclusion of the
japanese children from the San Fran
GlscO schools; second, the boycotting of
20 pdhese restaurants. and, third. acts of
Nioiehee committed against the japanese
Small Number of Children.
As TO the first matter, call your espe-
cIal attention to the very small number
VI Japanese children who attend school
cIea ne testimony as to the Brightness
JAPANESE children in the schools and to
ne tle idct that, owing to their being scat
tered throughout the city, the require
ment Tor them all to go to one sneciaI
school is impossible of fuIfjlimenf AMI
means that they can not have school IA
cIuues. Let me point out further that
oiIeie Would be no objection whatever to
cAciuGlhg from the school any japanese
on the score of age. 1t is obviously moi
ueslrabie Ihat young men should 90 To
sShoOi WITH children. The only point is
the exclusion of the children themselves
Inc number of Japanese children attend
ing the public schools in San Francisco
was very small. The government has AZ
ready directed that suit be brought 10
test the constituticnality of the act in
question; but my very earnest hone *
tnat such suit will not be necessary and
that as q matter of comfy the citizens
OF San Francisco will refuse tn ,5enrix-e
oh -
uon ana VIII permit them TO go to the
schools. ny
Threatened to Use Force.
The question as TO the violence soai,st
Lhe japanese is most admirably nut by-
Secretary Metcalf. ana I have nothing ~
S 200 TO ms statement. I am entirely con-
iiHeht that, dS Secretary Metcalf saws
the overwhelming sentiment of the state
OF California for law and order and for
me protection of the japanese in their
I peTsoiis ana property Both the ~chief Of
police and the acting mayor of San Fran
cisco assured Secretary Metcalf tha:
sxeIy thlIlg possible would be done to
protect the japanese in the city l au-
thorlzed and directed Secretary Metcaif
TO state that if there was failure to pro
tect persons and property. then the en-
IRE power of the federal government
within the limits of the constitution yro,,ld
be used promptly and vigorously to en-
Iorce the observance of our treaty the
supreme law of the land which treaty
guaranteed to japanese residents every
where In the union full and Derfect nro
lection for their persons and propertv.
and TO this end everything in my power
would be done, and all the forces of the
which could lawfully employ. would he
employed. cali especial attention 10
the concluding sentence of Secretary
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, Dec IS. 1906.
MefcaIfss N1..t.z:
The report of Secretary MetcaIf emu
merates many cases of alleged outrage
uDon the persons of Japanese, and con /
cludes as follows:
while the sentiment of the state Of
Cahfcrnia, as manifested by the public |
1tterances of the Japanese and Korean !
Exclusion league. by articles in many of /
the leading 'newSpap ers in the state BY /
declarations of the political parties in
their platforms and by the DaSsa % of a I
Joint resolution by the state legislature on /
March Z, 1905. is in favor of the exclusion |
Of japanese coolies. vet the overwhelming |
sentiment In the state is for law and or
ier ana Tor the protection of Japanese in /
their persons and their property.
The chief of police of the city of San |
francisco, as also the acting mayor of the |
city, assured me that everything possi-
BILE would be done to protect the lana |
nese subjects in San Francisco and they
requested that all cases of as /
sault and all violations of law affecting /
chief of police.
Officials Were 'Imprest."
$! iE1prest very. strongly upon the
acting mayor of the city. as also upon |
the chief of police, the gravity of the sit /
uation, and told them that. as Officers /
charged with the enforcement of the Law
ana the protection of property and per- /
son. you looked to them to see that all /
Japanese subjects resident in San Fran |
cisco were afforded the full protection
guaranteed TO them by our treaty with
Japan. also informed them that If /
the local authorities were not able 10 |
cope with the situation, or if they were
negigent or derelict in the performance
Of their duty. then the entire mower. of
the federal government within the limits
Of the constitution, would be used and (
used promptly and vigorously. to enforoe
Observance of treaties. which, under the
are the supreme law of tbe
and. and to secure fit and proper treat
nent for the people of a great and
friendly power while within the territorv
Of the United States
Duty of the Government.
eff therefore the police mower ~ c.