Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-01

| lVered by me upon my return from
the far east as United States minister
to Siam was under the auspices of
your chamber of commerce, and you
gave me welcome and a hearing that
| shall never forget, presided over by
| your distinguished citizen, Gen. Har-
| rison Gray Otis. 1t is now my unex-
pected privilege and honor as 1 hap
pened to be passing through Los An
geles to discuss another field of our
| foreign trade and relationship even
more important, though less appreciat-
ed, than that of the orient.
Relations with Japan
Before, however, considering the
| main subject of my talk tonight per-
NIT me to say a word in passing about
the muchmooted question of our re-
lationship with Japan and of japanese
immigration. This issue is sure to be
settled in way satisfactory alike to
California as a state, to the United
States as nation, and to Japan as
| a friendly power, provided only the
state, the nation and Japan will pro-
ceed to an adjustment in patience and
with due consideration for all the in
| terests concerned. The situation no
doubt is critical one in some respects.
but the crisis can and will be safely
passed if the principal parties con-
cerned hold their temper, as it were.
1t would be most unfortunate If any
untoward or unhappy incident like un-
warranted persecution of the Japanese
should take place pending the careful
| discussion of the question. Nothing
could assist more toward a happy So
luton of the problem than kind and
generous treatment of these Asiatics,
already within our doors by legal right,
and, for instance, a cordial welcome to
their naval squadron about to visit
San Francisco.
This would produce a good effect in
Japan and support the government
there in it's efforts to calm public senti-
ment in that country and prepare them
for treaty revision or for the making
of laws which would limit the emf
grafton of Japanese coolies to the
United States.
"In this discussion so far three things
seem to have been overlooked: first,
President Roosevelt, despite his ear
nest words on the Japanese school
question, is a most sincere friend
of this coast, and is more anxious than
any other president we have ever had
to advance it's prosperity and welfare:
and while San Francisco has a clear
right to it's opinion and to a defense
of the justice of it's position, it must
| be remembered that the president is
4 speaking from the standpoint of his
responsibility to the whole nation and
to foreign powers.
Government Objects
Second, the government of Japan,
itself, does not look with favor upon
the coming of large numbers of its
people to the United States. 1t much
prefers that they should go to Man
churia, Corea and Formosa, as there
is great need of them there for the ad-
vancement of Japanese interests, and
there is room for all their excess pop
ulation. Third, the exact issue of linn
itation of immigration can only be ad-
justed either by the revision or making
of new treaties with Japan, or by the
enacting of laws in the United States
or in Japan, acceptable to both nations.
Japan will never sign a treaty that
is in her opinion undignified, and will
not submit to a law against Japanese
immigration that is passed in conflict
with the provisions of the present
treaty. On the other hand, it is highly
probable that if excitement and i'll
temper are avoided and the president
is allowed his own Wav he will be able
to come to an arrangement with Japan
that will successfully solve this whole
problem, remove all danger of too much
immigration into California and satisfy
| the dignity or Japan.
Turning now to the consideration
of Latin-America, under which head
we include all of our sister republics
from Mexico to Argentine, I hope to
impress upon you that this part of the
world is on the verge of vast COM
mercial industrial and social advance
ment. We might almost call this pros
pective progress a BOOM We have
been giving so much attention to
| Europe and to Asia that we little real
ize the mighty material progress that
has been going on during the last ten
years in. the nations to the south of
us. There is need of an immediate
awakening throughout all the United
States, and especially on the Pacific
coast, to this splendid opportunity for
our commerce in Central and South
American republics.
Prospect for Immense Market
"It is most appropriate that at this
very moment we should turn our eyes
to the south. Confronted as we are
with dangerous problems in the far
east and with the possibilities of COM
petition in production and manufacture
at the hands of cheaper labor in Asia.
it is of pressing Importance that we
should study the field that has none of
these perils and can become an i'm
| lnelSe nldfkel IOr our agricultural ana
manufactured exports.
Before going further 1 wish to call
your attention to the remarkable char
acter of the visit last summer of Sec
retary Root to South America and to
the great results accomplished by this
unprecedented diplomatic mission. Mr.
Root, whom all the world respects as
one of the ablest statesmen America
has produced, attended the Pan-Amer-
lean conference in Rio Janeiro, paid
| his respects to nearly every South
American government. mingled with
the officials and people. studied their
conditions and possibilities. analyzed
their relations with and attitude to-
ward the United States, captured their
good will by his bearing and speeches
and inaugurated a new era in the
diplomatic and commercial relations Of
the United States with all South Amer
lea. We hardly realize here the mag
nificent reception that was accorded
him everywhere he went. Had he been
the president of the United States or
| the king OF England they could not
have done more for him. Through him