The Washington herald., 1906-12-05
PRESIDENT Anglers
COAST LAWMAKERS
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COAST LAWMAKERS
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he said concerning the anti-Japanese
feeling on the Pacific Coast he has not
struck a popular chord
Although ii is generally admitted that
the last Of the Presidents statements,
quoted above, is a clear and explicit
warning that he viii use the armed forces
Of the government 10 compel States and
municipalities to respect the rights
guaranteed by treaty 20 foreign subjects
residing within their borders. conserva-
tive men IN Congress were unwilling 70
believe that he would go to that extreme
without the express authorization Of the
National Legislature. \ marked reti-
/ cence was manifested by Republican Con
gressmen 10 permit their views 10 be
quoted. while many members Of that
party were unwilling 10 go to the extent
Of expressing themselves at all There
was enough said, however, TO show that
the Presidents suggestion that japanese
in California would be safeguarded in
their treaty rights by the use of regular
troops does not meet with favor. Some
who looked askance at the President 5
statement, but were unwilling 10 pass
Judgment upon it until they were more
| fully informed. called attention 10 the
use OF the word lawfully" where the
President refers 10 the employment Of
troops, as indicating an intention on his
part 10 abstain from any radical action
untn Congress had given him authority
90 take il. II must be confessed. how
ever that even with this qualifying term
in their minds many ef the Presidents
F~ssrl AZ
when the matter was mentioned to them.
President MisinfOrmed.
They declare that they are at a loss to
understand where the President received
his information as 10 the condition con-
cerning the treatment Of japanese in their
State. Their understanding is that he did
not get il from Victor l. Me,calf. the
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor. who Is
q Californian, in such way as 10 give
him the impression which he publishes in
his message. Mr.. MetcaIf was sent TO
California by the President on November
2 and he did not see the President again
until after Mr.. Roosevelt had returned
from Panama.
The California Congressman viii have
meeting this week 10 discuss the situa-
tiOn presented by the Presidents recon-
mendatiOns and declarations They will
wait, as one member expressed il. until
some OF them cool of. They are afraid
that a meeting at this time would result
in an explosion which might tend 20 com
plicate the international situation.
The President has set up a man of
straw" declared Representative Need
ham, one of the California delegation.
and then proceeded 20 knock him down.
From an ethical standpoint, what he saws
sounds very nice, but he has failed TO ap-
preciate conditions as they exist. So far
as the use of the military forces of the
country are concerned. I do not think
that he can cOerce the sovereign State of
California. if the State has acted within
her rights, as We firmly believe she has.
1t seems to me that while the Presi-
dent Is weli-meaning in his purposes. he
is especially unfortunate in the use az
the language which he employs. He has
Inexperienced the situation. and has
allowed his feelings and his high regard
Tor the japanese as nation TO run awav
with him. In my opinion, there will never
| be any decision which will hold that we
nave violated any treaty which this gov
ernment has with Japan. AS to citizen
| snip Tor the japanese, we are all uDalter-
ably opposed TO such action; that matter
is long time OF We need legislation
to restrict the right of citizenship rather
than 10 Increase il. There Is no sentiment
anywhere to increase the number of races
which should beadmitted to citizenship. II
Is is now generally held that the extension
OF citizenship to the negroes after the civil
war was mistake, and I do not believe
1t would be done now. The President
ignores the race question; he does not
pretend to discuss il.
I do not think that part of the mes
sage relating to the japanese will be very
well received in California" said Repre-
sentative knowland, and II is a mighty
fortunate thing for our delegation that
this message became public after the
election rather than before. For had we
known the Presidents sentiments. we
could not have appealed for support of
the President. and the State of California
would have had a very meager. Republf-
can representation in the next Congress
There has been no exclusion of the Jana
nese from schools in San Francisco: that
is erroneous. We have simply segregated
them. and have denied them no rights
guaranteed them by the treaty with
Japan. It is unfortunate that the Presi-
dent has not a better understanding Of
the situation as It exists in California"
Mr.. Hayes, who represents. in part, the
city Of San Francisco. said:
IF San Francisco or the State of Cali
fornia had violated any treaty which the
Federal government made with Japan
under the Constitution. then the Presi-
dent would be justified in using the mill
tary forces at his command to enforce
treaty rights; but we have violated no
treaty rights. The treaty in question
does not give the japanese the right to
be educated in the same schools with the
white children. This right is not given
to some of our own citizens, for the
Southern States have been upheld In
their segregation of the white and col
ored children. Japan has no right, under
treaty or otherwise, to regulate our school
system, and I contend that any treaty
which would give her that right would be
unconstitutional"
Senator Perkins said: 81 agree with the
sentiment in the abstract expressed by
the President just as any patriotic citi
zen would, but l do not agree with him