The San Francisco call., 1907-02-13
SChmitz Party Awaits Conference
on Presidents New Plan

which he discussed the Japanese ques-
tion. He said in part:
Because the people of California have taken
decided stand in favor of the exclusion OF
Asiatie coolies they are too frequently referred
to as being intolerant and provincial. They are
neither On the contrary, they are among the
most tolerant people in the whole world, while
San Francisco, the splendid metropolis of the
Golden State. is of the most cosmopolitan
communities the face of the globe. Walking
along her busy thoroughfares one meets repre-
sentatives of every of every land of
every cline, and even the occasional immi-
grant from the distant Indies. clothed in the
scarcely excites passing comment. And it is
not at all strange that such should be the case.
The very manner in which the State was set
tied bred spirit Of tolerance from the very
beginning.
In this country of ours with its diverse and
sometimes conflicting interests. it takes long
time to bring about decided sentiment on
such an important question as the exclusion of
any particular race. In the matter Of Chinese
exclusion. although the residents of California
were practically unit on the subject, it took
four long years of constant and aggressive agi-
tation to bring about the enactment of the
first Chinese immigration law. And although
quarter of a century has rolled around since
then think the Overwhelming sentiment of
the people of this country is in favor of the
rigid enforcement of those laws, provided al
ways. that no personal indignities are visited
upon those Chinese who especially ex-
empted from the provision of those laws.
And therefore. the people of California, with
lDe experiences or the past 10 guide them. nave
looked forward TO a long and bitter struggle to
secure the extension of the exclusion laws 70
Japanese and Korean coolies. But the incident
of the segregation of the japanese children
from white children in the primary and gram
mar schools of San Francisco at brought
the question Of the exclusion of Japanese la
borers into the foreground and made it burn
ing. vital issue. But in the matter of the seq
regation Of pupils. effort has been made TO
create the impression throughout the country
that San Francisco had denied all japanese
children admission into her public schools. No
such step has even been contemplated. The ac-
tion of the school board simply contemplated
the consolidation Of all Japanese school children
under one roof, and IL has been generally ad-
mitted that the school provided for these jap
anese and other Oriental children was equally
as good were the schools attended by white
children The corps of instructors ex-
perienced in their work and compared most
favorably with the teachers In the other schools
OF the city. 1t is not my purpose to discuss
this school question this evening. My individual
State in the Union has the absolute right to
regulate her own schools In any manner she
sees ht and that no outsider, not even the Pres
ident OF the United States, has the right to
interfere. But the courts probably will pass
upon the subject; anything / may say upon 1t
ever, the discussion of the school question has
constantly carried more or less war talk In it's
train. personally, have taken any stock
In such talk. ] have always felt that the good
common sense Of the two nations would assert
itself, and that a solution would be found that
own Government and the government of Japan.
i believe such programme is now fairly under
way, and that there is every prospect for an
early settlement of the much discussed question.
ana IN its solution, hope the question of the
exclusion of Japanese coolies win likewise be
determined.