The National tribune., 1906-11-29
EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS OF JAPAN
ESE CHILDREN.
The California View of the vexed Ques-
tion-A Practical Condition, Not q
Theory,

q
Theory.
Editor National Tribune: Speak,
ing of the exclusion of Japanese
children from the schools of San Fran
cisco and the friction regarding it be-
tween the two races, the Army and
Navy Journal says:
THE present trouble has arisen from
the action of the civil authorities of a
single State Git should have said city),
for which the Federal Government is
not responsible. If a treaty
entered into with a foreign power by
the United States is to be regarded as
the supreme law of the land, then the
Federal Government has full power to
prevent the exclusion of japanese pu-
pills from the schools of San Francisco:
but that contention instantly brings I'D
the proposition that under the Consti.
tuition the power of control over the
schools is vested absolutely in the States
themselves"
1t would seem that If treaty must
become the supreme law of the land,
then it follows that the Federal Gov
ernment. which made the bargain. is
responsible for the expense of fulfilling
the obligations entered into and cannot
Justly shift that expense upon a single
State or city by practically levying a tax
on any State or city to fulfill the Ma.
tion's obligation.
Now, all friendly treaties are sup-
posed to grant reciprocal concessions.
Would or does Japan stand ready to
welcome weekly influx of Americans
by shiploads and to teach them Or their
children the Japanese language? Would
Japan CT the Japanese allow Americans
to scatter all over their country buy
land and engage in all kinds of busi-
ness ii disastrous competition with tha
natives? This is just what they are
doing here. and we are restrained from
taking any action to prevent 1t. Under
normal conditions we grant willingly,
as concession. the privilege of Japan
ese children attending our schools, bu,
San Francisco is just now laboring un-
der abnormal conditions. She has not
at this time school rooms enough for
her own native children and these
children of alien races, not understand
ing the English language, are a great
drawback upon the successful efforts
of our teachers where there is so large
a percentage of foreigners. 1t compIi-
Gates our system of grading in schools
always. and under present conditions in
san Francisco the question with that
city is, shall We refuse admission to
our own children or those of the for
eigper?" Now. by segregation the adj
vaucement of native children is not
retarded by the extra effort required
and extra time spent in trying to carry
the foreign puDil with the class, and
the foreign pUDil will not be forced to
try to solve problems beyond his UNDER
standing thru lack of knowledge of the
language.
If the Federal Government insists
that the United States IS bound by
treaty to furnish schooling to Japanese,
then it IS up to the Federal Govern.
rnent TO establish schools for that pur.
pose thruout the land. or else pay the
tuition of each such scholar just as
each town is forced to pay tuition for
its pupils attending the schools of an
other town. It is the Federal Govern
ments bargain, if q bargain. not San
Francisco's.-Joseph A. Stuart. naval
veteran, Palo Alto, Cal, Nov. 9. 1906.