The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-12-21
HOW JAPAN
IS FEELING

The Japanese Times (Tokio) of Nov
ember II, sizes up the vernacular press
opinion ON the San Francisco school af'
fair as follows:
The Tokyo press is maintaining gem
orally quiet and circumspect attitude
on the san Francisco affair, in full con-
fidence that President Roosevelt and
his Administration will succeed in Civ
ing satisfactory solution, but few
newspapers are advancing arguments
from our compatriots' side. The Tokyo
Mainichi is inclined to consider the
arguments presented by the san Fran
cisco School Board as only superficial,
the real ground of action being as yet
only known to themselves. But even
the published grounds are open to crit
icism. In the first place, the Califor-
mans misinterpret their Constitutional
provisions. The trainers of that Con-
stitution had the Chinese only in view,
who had been coming in large numbers
into the state. When they provided
for the exclusion of the Mongol from
their schools, they had no intention of
generic name. What was the neces-
sity of specifying the Chinese other
wise? Indeed. at the time, no Japanese
were found in California, but they were
found In certain numbers in other parts
of the United States. Had they meant
to exclude all the Orientals they should
have made explicit mention of the Jap'
anese as they did the Chinese. Then
the school authorities can not deny the
fact that they suddenly withdrew the
long-standng favour from the Japa-
nese and drove their children out of
the tent schools where they had re-
ceivel teaching, to sit with the Chi
nese in a miserable shanty constructed
for the latter. If the ground of this
action was that the Japanese did not
pay the school expenses, the authori- ,
ties might have demanded the pay !
ment of them, and the Japanese would
have willingly acquiesced to the just
requirements, Were 1t again, in con-
of the interests of the Japa-
nesc children themselves to segregate
themselves, that also might have been
effected without much difficulty. But
he paper reminds them of the fact that
Ill these measures should have been
out in good will and with kind
Intentions. Even II the Japanese had
lcquiesced to the authorities wishes,
ime should have been allowed for max
ng proper arrangements. The sudden
ness of the action in an affair of high
Importance can not free them from the
'harge of violence. In this the paper
inds the symptoms of the real moral
basis of the action. namely. the racial
prejudice, pandered to by the scheming
lemagogues. The paper would not rest
Until this insult to our national pres
ige has been made good.
The Yorodzu refutes the current at
empts at smoothing the ugliness OF
he movement. First. II Is ignorance
4 the real condition OF affairs to ex-
ect the passing-away of the heat with !
he end OF the electioneering excitement
which this forms only a feature. To
he journal, the recent change OF the
ational policy of America, on the one
and and the sudden elevation Of our :
wn national status on the other, have ,
ombined TO enhance the spirit of re- =.
eminent that has existed in the past
nd to give II more serious signif-
ance than hitherto. Even granting
hat the feud Is only temporary Z
OF the elections could we :
How the frequent recurrence OF such 5
n ugly affair every election year, and
ave our compatriots to inhumane per-
.cution every time some greedy dema-
Dgues aspire to popular favor? Sec "
ndly the affair can not be said to be .
significant because It Is confined to =
he single State of California. while y
Ic other states remain In sympathy
18th us II IL true that San Francisco
rms the focus OF the movement. but
IN we be so sure OF It's not spreading Il
other parts? Moreover. the trouble II
creases in its ugliness for the very oil
ason OF its being Matched In San u
city that has the closest W
lations with our trade. and the en- +
ance door to all America for our 81
emigrants. The exclusion Il
Iere would dampen In the future the a