The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-07

the least of mere self-interest. but
paying heed chiefly TO ethical reasons; ;
and as the centuries go by this disin-l
terestedness in international action, !
this tendency OF the individuals COM
| priZins. a nation to require that nation
to act with justice toward its neigh
bors. steadily grows and strengthens.
Il Is neither wise nor right for a ma
ton TO- disregard its own needs. and
Ii is foolish-and may be wicked-to
think that other nations will disregard
theirs. But it is wicked for a nation
| only to regard its own interest and
| foolish to believe that such is the sole
motive that ctuates any other nation.
| II should be our steady aim to raise
the ethocal standard Of national action
| Just as we strive TO raise the ethical
| standard OF individual acaon.
Not only mus we treat all nations
fairly, but We must treat with justice
and good will all Immigrants who
come here under the law. Whether
they are Catholic or Protestant. Jew
| or Gentle: whether they come from
England or Germany, Russia, Japan,
or Italy. matters nothing. All We hare
a right to question is the mans con-
duct. II he is honest and upright in
his dealings with his neighbor I
with the state, then be is entitled 10
respect and good treatment. Especial
" do we need to remember our duty
to the stranger within cur gates. 1t is
the sure mark Of a low civilization. a
low morality. to abuse or discriminate
| against or in any way Illuminate Sucn
stranger who has come here lawfully
and who is conducting himself proper
". To remember this is incumbent on
ever government official, whether o.
the nation or IF the several states.
[ am prompted to say this by the a
titude Of hostility here and there as
sumed toward the Japanese IN TINS
country. This hostility is SpOradlc ana
is limited to a very few places. Never
theless. it is most diScreditable 10 lis
as a people, and it may be fraught
with the gravest consequences TO the
nation. The friendship between the
United States and Japan has been con-
tinuous since the time, over half q
century ago, when Commodore Perry,
by his expedition to Japan, first open
ed the islands to western civilization
Since then the growth o. Japan has
been literally astounding. There is not
SUlN uoluluS " poi l1iS - O
to approach it in the history OF civil
zed mankind. Japan has a glorious
and ancient past. Her civilization is
older than that of the nations OF
northern Europe-the nations from
whom the people of the United States
have chiefly sprung. But fifty year:
ago Japan's development was still tina
of the Middle Ages. During that lift.
years the progress OF the country IL
, every walk in life has been a marve
to mankind, and she now stands a:
one of the greatest Of civilized ma
lions: great in the arts OF war and II
: the arts Of peace; great in military
! in industrial, in artistic development
; and achievement. Japanese soldier:
and sailors have shown themselve:
!, equal in combat to any of whom his
, tory makes note. h has produces
: great generals and mighty admirals
$ her fighting men, afoat and ashore
= show all the heroic courage, the I'm
p questioning, unfalteIing loyalty, tn
, splendid Indifference to hardship an
: death, which marked the Loyal Ro
= nins; and they show also that the,
: possess the highest ideal of patriotism
= Japanese artists Of every kind Sc
= their products eagerly sought for il
p all lands. The industrial and com
mercial development of Japan ha
been phenomenal; greater than tha
- of any other country during the sam
v period. At the same time the advanc
: in science and philosophy is no les
S marked. The admirable management
of the Japanese Red Cross during tn
late war, efficiency and humanity c
the Japanese officials, nurses, an
doctors, won the respectful admiration
of all acquainted with the facts. Thr
the Red Cross the japanese peopl
!" sent over 500, 900 to the sufferers c
}, San Francisco, and the gift was &C
{ cepted with gratitude by our people
The courtesy of the Japanese, nation
Z ally and individually, has become pro
verbal. To no other country. has Their
y been such an increasing number c
visitors from this land as to JaDar
In return, Japanese have come he
> in great numbers. They are welcOmt
! socially and Intellectually, in oil gu
. colleges and institutions of highe
. learning, in all u professional an
i social bodies. The japanese have wo
: in a single generation the right t
= stand abreast Of the foremost an
most enlightened peoples of Europ
and America; they have won on thei
own merits and by their own exertien
. the right to treatment on a basis {
= full and frank equality. The over
: wheIming mass of Ii people cheris
l a lively regard and respect for In
people of Japan, and in almost ever
> quarter Of the Union the stranger froI
: .JaDan is treated as he reserves; tn
u is, he is treated as the stranger fro,
Z any part of civilized Europe il and Dc
L serves to be treated. But here IN
! there a most unworthy feeling %
manifested itself toward the Jap ne
:, the feeling that has been shown
u shutting them out from the cf0n2c
: schools in San Francisco, and Il nj
y terings against them in n = -
Ii other places, because of their effcse-
CIV as workers. To shut them ont 70.
- ursn1zn1 ob--s