The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-03-22
WHITE HOUSE REQUESTS"

| please secure suspension of action
| until receipt of letter from me- wired
| President Roosevelt of The United
| States to Governor Gillett of the SOW
l ereien state of California in the mat
/ ter OF the ant:-Japanese bills and
| resolution passed by the senate OF that
| state on Saturday last.
l The governor. OF course. has TO pow
| er 10 hold up action by the lower
| branch OF the California Legislature.
| But he complied with he presidential
| request promptly: and then the assem-
| bly, quite promptly complied with
| his req1I. - and deferred action on the
measur% Indefinitely. The whole thing
| Is most desirable. in way: for the
published reports Of the state senate's
| action were having. as the president
| told the governor. a moss unfortunate
| effect upon ms efforts To secure the eX-
| clusion of japanese laoorers b. a
friendly agreement and. ii continued.
they would probably have rendered the
recent legislation of congress for that
purpose Ineffective.
But contemplate for moment the
nerve Of the thing-a sang froid'
with which the head of the federal
government requests-aImost orders
action BY the governor OF a free, lnde-
pendent and sovereign state, He would
not have plrasad his telegram one
whit differently had il been al order
10 the attorney general 70 postpone the
trial OF 4 government case in fed
eraI court or instructions 10 General
Grant or Governors Island to have an
exhibition drill for the entertainment
OF the I::ltisn consul general at this
port. The precedent thus set IS not
altogether wholesome or Inspiring one.
Suppose Gov. Hughes We're to re
ceivc q telegram from the president to-
dav SAYING. Please have the Nc
,lsay
at once. please secure postponemcnt
o. action on the DOWln:; loop bill!
until after YOU get my letter Is lt
easily conceive BILE that Charles Evans
Hughes is mad" OF the same com
plaisant stun &s Governor Gillett?-'
New york Commercial.
We do not take the same vie" oi the
presidents request to the governor OF
We do not understand it to be in am
way a command or the assumDtiCl OF
right to control the action of the gov
ernor or of the Legislature. While We
take sides with the people of California
in their contest with the national gov
ernment on the question as to whether
a state law or federal government
treaty with foreign power controls in |
the matter Of regulating the public |
schools of that state and think the |
president went entirely too far in his |
contention that the state law should |
give way to the treaty, we can we'll !
understand how the president is anX- |
ious to settle the question in way |
which will cause least friction between |
Japan and the United States and which |
will result in checking immigration Of |
Japanese coolies. The president no |
doubt, does not understand and is not |
in sympathy with the opposition OF the |
Californians to mixed schools His |
chief aim is to negotiate treaty with |
Japan which will put a stop to the |
coolie immigration. The proposed ac- |
tion of the California legislature would |
tend to prevent the success of his ne |
gotiations. 1t seems to us that all |
his message to Governor Gillett meant |
was to urge the latter to use his inlll- |
ence to prevent action on the pending |
resolution while the treaty was being |
negotiated. In this case an important |
international question is involved and |
the success of this government IN its |
negotiations would be jeopardized were |
the California legislature to proceed to |
passage of the resolution at this tinie.
The Commercials supposed case Of |
ing matters in the New York legisl2-
tnre is not at all parallel.