The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-04

the facts. Thru the Red Cross the Japa-
nese people sent over 10000 TO the suffer-
ers OF San Francisco and the gift was
accepted with gratitude by our people
The courtesy OF the japanese, nationally
ano individually. has become proverbial
To no other country has there been such
an increasing number OF visitors from this
land as TO Japan. In return, Japanese
have come here I'm great numbers. They
arc welcome. socially and intellectually.
In all our large colleges and institutions.
OF higher learning, I'm all our professional
and social bodies. The Japanese have
wor In single generation the right 10
stand abreast OF the foremost and most
enlightened peoples OF Europe and Amer
ica: they have won on their own merits
and by their own eXertions the right 10
treatment on a basis OF full and frank
equality. The overwhelming mass OF our
people cherish a lively regard and re-
spect for the people OF Japan, and I'm al
most every quarter OF the Union the
stranger from Japan is treated as he de-
serves; that Is. he is treated as the
stranger from any part OF civilized Eu-
roic is and deserves 10 be treated.
But here and there a most unworthy
feeling has manifested itself toward the
Japanese-the feeling that has been shown
In shutting them out from the common
schools I'm San Francisco. and I'm NUT
ter.ngs against them i'm one or two other
VIC rkers. To shut them out from the pub
lie schools is a wicked absurdity, when
there are no first-class colleges in the
land, including the universities and col
lcecs of California, which do not gladly
welcome Japanese students and on which
japanese students do not reflect credit.
We have as much to learn from Japan as
Japan has to learn from us; and no ma
tion Is tit to teach unless IL is also willing
10 learn. Turnout Japan Americans are
well treated and any failure on the part
of Americans at home 10 treat the Japa-
nese with a like courtesy and considera-
tior Is by just so much a confession OF In
fcr.ority in our civilization.
Our nation fronts on the Pacific, Just
as IL fronts on the Atlantic. We hope 20
pay constantly growing part In the
great ocean OF the Orient. We wish, as
we ought to wish, for a great commercial
development i'm our dealings with Asia;
anc 1t is out Of the question the we
should permanently have such develop
ment unless we freely and gladly extend
to other nations the same measure of jus
tice and good treatment which we expect
TO receive in return. IL is only a very
small body of our citizens that act badly.
Where the Federal government has power
IL VIII deal summarly with any such.
Where the several states have power |
earnestly ask that they also deal wisely
ard promptly with such conduct or else
thlS Snlau DOuN OF N1OnbFuOtIS may DiiHs
shame upon the great mass OF their inno-
cent and right-thinking fellows-that Is.
upon our nation as q whole. Good man
ners should be an international no less
tran an individual attribute. ! ask fair
treatment for the Japanese as | would ask
fair treatment for Germans or English
men, Frenchmen Russians or Italians. 1
ask 1t as due TO humanity and civilization.
/ ask IL as due to ourselves because we
must act uprightly toward all men.
! recommend To the congress that an act
BE- past specifically providing for the ma
turaii2ation OF Japanese who come here
intending to become American citizens.
One of the great embarrassments attend
ing the performance of our international
obligations is the fact that the statutes
OF the United States are entirely made
/ quatc They fail TO give to the national
| government sufficiently ample power,
| thru United States courts and by the use
! OF the army and navy. TO protect aliens
! in the rights secured to the munder sol
| ernn treaties which are the law OF the
| land. | therefore earnestly recommend
that the criminal and civil statutes or
the United states be so amended and add
| ed to as to enable the president. acting for
the United States government, which Is
responsible in our international relations,
to enforce the rights OF aliens under trea-
ties Even as the law now Is something
can be done by the Federal government
tONhtu THIS emo, ana III the hoW
befCr> me affecting the Japanese, every
thing that IL is in my power TO do VIII
be done. and all OF the forces, military
and civil, of the United States which [
may lawfully employ will be so employed.
There should however. be no particle
OF doubt as to the power of the national
government completely TO perform and
enforce it's own obligations to other ma
tions. The mob of single city may at
ary time perform acts of lawless violence
I against some class of foreigners which
would plunge us into war. That city by
itself would be powerless to make de-
fensc against the foreign power thus as
saulted and If independent of this gov
ernnent 1t would never venture to per-
form or permit the performance OF the
acts complained OF. The entire power and
the whole duty to protect the offending
city or the offending community lies
in the hands OF the United States govern
ment II is unthinkable that we should
continue a policy under which a given
locality may be allowed to commit
crime against a friendly nation. and the
United states government limited. not To
preventing the commission OF the crime.
but. In the last resort. TO defending the
peopIe who have committed 1t against
tho consequences OF their own wrongao-
ing.