Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-11
WESTERNERS YIELD
Roossvelt Puts Jap Issue Squarely Befors Conference.
ASKS CALlR0RIlASs TO TRUST HII

Has Entire CAnAAsass Tn His AAil. ity to EAciUAs JapaneSe Goodies,
 Which eehmtts Says h Vital
 Question oA Coast.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The pres ident and Secretary of State Root held conference with Mayor schmits ot San Francisco and members of the board of education of that city with view to removing all cause for the fric- ton which has grown out of the exclu, sion of Japanese pupils from the schools of San Francisco.
 The conference lasted an hour and . quarter, and it is understood they came to mutual understandings that the matter could be satisfactorily settled without break in the friendly rela- tions between the United States and Japan.
 Mir. Roosevelt put squarely before Mayor Schmitz and the San Francisco school officials the emergency which required the abandonment of their pol icy of segregation of Japanese school children in order that the good rela- tions with Japan may be preserved.
 The president pointed out to his call CTS the manifest advantage to be ob- tained by conciliatory course on their part-a course so conciliatory as to en- able him to conclude negotiations look ing to treaty providing for the ex- clusion of Japanese coolies from this country The president is said to have made only one promise and to have demanded none, but asked the officials to rescind their order excluding Japa. nese from the public schools.
 The president asked the Californians to trust him implicitly without his making any definite promises, except that he would not conclude treaty which would involve the rights of Cal ifornia as state. The president Is asserted to have expressed entire conf1- dence in his own ability to bring about Japanese exclusion, in so far as Japa- nese laborers are concerned, and to have urged the Californians to uphold his hands to the best of their ability by removing everything which can in any way offend the pride of the Japa- nese.
 He is said to have implied that if the treaty he expected to conclude did not meet the approval of the people of Cal ifornia they could at any time renew their exclusion policy with regard to the school children. Obviously the president has inspired great confidence among the men who have come so far to confer with him, and their disposi- tion is to accedc to his request.
 The mayor was in conciliatory frame of mind and announced his will ingness to do anything in his power to settle the question finally for the best interests of all concerned.
 The attitude of the president, how ever was somewhat new to the Cali fornians. and they asked time to con slider the subject, with the result that 1t was arranged to hold second con ference, but there is no doubt that the present disposition or Mayor Schmitz and his associates is to agree to the presidents wishes Mayor Schmitz told the president that the exclusion of Japanese labor was question far more vital to the coast than the ad- mission of Japanese children to the schools.
 Mayor Schmitz wired to San Fran cisco In part as follows:
 Have made no arrangement on Jap anese question up to date of any kind. Story false. like all other statements about me. Have refused to give any statement to reporters. President has refused also until conference is con- pleted and is showing friendly spirit. I am a Californian trying to do my duty to my state. Cannot succeed if hampered by hostile press of San Fran cisco"