Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1906-12-28
A SPECIAL MESSAGE
President Sends Communication
to Congress on Jap Question.

gress by the President:
Il iuclose herewith for your informa-
tton the final report made to me per-
sonally by Secretary Metcalf on the sit
uation affecting the Japanese in San
Francisco The report deals with three
matters OF eontroVersy-Iirst, the ex-
clusion of the Japanese children from
the san Francisco schools; second, the
hoycotttng OF Japanese restaurants, and
third. acts OF violence committed
against the japanese
As to the first matter, ! call your
especial = a. attention enns to .hs ,hs very small
tend school, to the testimony as to
the brightness. cleanliness and good be-
havior Of these Japanese children In the
schools, and to the fact that, owing TO
their being scattered throughout the
city, the requirement for them all to
go 90 one special school is impossible
OF fulfillment and means that they can
not have school facilities, Let me point
out further that there would be no OBJ
lection whatever to excluding from the
schools any japanese on the score or
age. 1t Is obviously not desirable that
young men should 50 to school with
children. The only point is the exelu-
sion of the children themselves, The
number of japanese children attending
the public schools in San Francisco was
very small. The government has al
ready directed that suit be brought TO
test the constitutionaltty or the act IN
question; but my very earnest nope Is
that such suit will not be necessary.
and that as matter OF comfy the citl-
zens of san Francisco viii refuse to de-
prive these young Japanese children OF
education and Will permit them TO SO TO
the schools.
The question as to the violence
against the Japanese is most admirably
put by Secretary Metcalf. and l have
nothing to add to his statement, am
entirely confident that. as Secretary
Metcalf says, the overwhelming senti-
ment OF the state of California Is foT
law and order and for the protection or
the Japanese in their persons and prop
erty. Both the chief OF police and the
acting mayor OF San Francisco assured
Secretary Metcalf that everything pos
sible would be done to protect the Jap
anese in the city. / authorized and di-
rected Secretary Metcalf to state that
IL there was failure to protect persons
and property. then the entire power OF
the Federal government within the linz
its of the constitution would be used
promptly and vigorously to enforce the
observance of our treaty. the supreme
law of the land which treaty guaran-
the Union full and perfect protection
for their persons and property. ana 70
this end everything in my power WOULD
be done. and all the forces OF the United
States, both civil and military. which
l could lawfully employ would be en-
ployed | call especial attention to the
eoneuding sentence en- Of s ISCs met
Secretary Metcalfs report is ad-
dressed to the President under date OF
November 26 last. and In part is as fol-
lows:
I'm my previous report 1 said moth
ing as to the causes leading up to the
action of the school board in passing
the resolution of October IL, and the
effect of such action upon japanese
children, residents of the city OF san
Francisco, desiring to attend the pubic
schools of that city. A report on this
matter will now be made.
that for several wears the
board of education OF San Francisco had
been considering the advisability OF es-
tablishing separate schools Tor Chlnese,
Japanese and Corean children. and on
May s, 1905, passed the following reso-
luton: :, o,,,,o
tion is determined in its eftorts 10 eI-
feet the establishment OF separate
schools for Chinese and Japanese pupils
not only for the purpose or relieving the
congestion at present prevailing IN our
schools but also for the higher end
that our children should not be placed
in any position where their youthful I'M
pressions may be affected by association
with pupils of the Mongolian race
And on October IL the board passed
the following resolution: ,.,.
F." Resolved, That in accordance with
article y, section 1862, of the school
law of California, principals are herens
directed to send all Chinese, Japanese
or Corean children to the Oriental pup
lie school. situated on the south side
of Clay street, between PoWell ana Ma
son streets; soos. on and after Monday oc-
s'The action of the board in the pass
age of the resolutions of May g., 1905,
and October IL, 1906. was undoubtedly
largely Influenced by the activity OF
the japanese and Corean Exclusion
league, an organization formed for the
purpose of securing enactment by the
congress of the United States OF law
extending the provisions of the exist
ing Chinese exclusion act so as to ex-
clude Japanese and Coreans.
"The number of schools in San Fran
cisco prior to ADril IS was rs. OF this
number 2S primary or grammar schools
and two high schools were destroyed by
fire, and one high school was destroyed
by earthquake. leaving IS schools. Since
April IS, q temporary structures have
been erected. making the total number
92. ''
"The Oriental school, the school set
apart for the Chinese, Japanese and Co
rean children, is in the burned section.
There is only one Japanese student at
tending this school at the present time,
and there are no Japanese children at
tending any of the other public schools
/ visited The Oriental school in COM
pany with the Japanese consul and
found it to compare favorably with
many of the new temporary structures
erected in. the city. The course of in
struction is exactly the same as at the
other public schools, and competent
teachers are assigned for duty in this
scRool. Nearly all of the pupils at
tending this school have to be taught
the English language.
Il found the sentiment in the state
very strong against Japanese young
men attending the primary grades. Many
Of the people were outspoken in their
condemnation of this course, saying
that they would take exactly the same
stand against American young men of
similar ages attending the primary
grades. / am frank to say that this
objection seems to me most reasonable
one. All of the political parties in the
state have inserted in their platforms
planks In favor Of japanese and Co
rean exclusion, and on March T. 1905, the
state legislature passed joint resolu-
tion urging that action be taken by
treaty or otherwise to limit and dimin-
ish the further immigration of Japan
ese laborers into the United States.
The, press Of San Francisco pretty
generally upholds the action of the
board of education. OF the attitude of
the more violent and radical newspapers
Il t. fn EI,.,