The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
NOT SCHOOLS, BUT
CHEAP LABOR.
That Is the Boqie That
Is Stirring UP the
CalifOrnianS.
JAPANESE ARE
HURTING THE UNIONS
IF There Is War 1t Will Be to
Drive Out Cheap Labor From
the Pacific States-The
Whole Country Is
Alarmed Over
Situation.
sY WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.

WtH1' IN E-oVetFnc FIbANHlo.
wAsH1NGToN. d. C.. February "A
law on the statute books OF California
provides that Indians Chinese and
Mongolians shall not be allowed to at
tend public schools for white children
There is no law forbidding negro
children attending the white public
schools.
Tho discovery of this fact at the
Bureau of Education, Department Of
the Interior, to-day would appear to
throw light on the controversy be-
tween this government and the gov
and the school authorities of San Fran
cisco. on the other. over the refusal
OF the latter 10 allow the children OF
Jupanese to attend the public schools
for the white children of the city
The fact that there is no law in
California excluding negro children
from tho public schools FOR whites
controversy is not so much one in
spirel by race prejudice, but is more
Industrial in its nature.
AS l intinated yesterday in these dis
patches, the union labor element is cx-
ceedingly strong on the Pacific slope. The
present. Mayor of San Francisco is a
union labor man, member of the Mu-
sIclanE Union. That he Is man OF
very bad character and is now under
Indictment for serious oaenscs committed
during his term of Office. does not re-
suit from his being affiliated with organ
tied labor of course, but the fact that
Mayor Schmitz Is not good man does
not inspire confidence in those who are
trying to settle the very knotty question
which has arisen from tire action Of the
school board in excluding Japanese chill
dren.
Japanese Laborers.
Tho inffux ot japanese laborers to the
Tacific coast since the close OF the war
with Russia has alarmed all classes o.
Americans. II has very naturally aiafHiel
the worsingmcn. whose places are being
nlIed by the cheaper working Orientals
The Japanese came TO California chiehy
I'm the outset hut they are now over
flowing into all the coast States and into
Montana the Dakotas Wyoming. Uthh,
Colorado. aud a dispatch from san An
tonic Says they have displaced negroes III
,iomestlcc service in that city 10 such
a great extent that mass meeting OF
negroes has been called for the purpose
or protesting against the employment ol
Japanese household servants.
Thus far there has not been great
competition on tilc part OF japanese in
the field OF skilled labor But Japanese
carpenters, Inasous, painters and artisans
in other fields are becoming less rare all
the time, and the American. workingmen
foresee the time when they VIII nave
Ia engage In deadly competition with the
Acknowledged workers. from the Orient. II
81 believed that the controversy over the
admission OF Japanese to the white pub
lie schools is IN reality a cloak for the
more important and far more bitter fisht
which tie American workingman is
making against Japanese competition and
final monopoly of the demand for rough
labor, and, eventually. for skilled labor
also.
a clear understanding of the above facts
is necessary to even an approximate ap-
probation OF the situation growing OUT OF
the controversies between America ana
Japan. 1t Is especially well to realize
that it is an industrial and not 1ues-
tion of admission of Japanese children TO
white schools, which would involve the
pure question of racial prejudice, that is
now claiming the closest attention OF the
American Department Of State and the
Japanese Foreign Office.
Pacific Supremacy.
But the final question Is supremacy in
the Pacific 1t was raised when Admiral
Dewey destroyed the Spanish feet IN
Manila Bay before breakfast on the Isl
day of May, 1888. America did not
realize the fact at that time. Japan
probably did, but other questions were
pressing. She mad just concluded more
or less expensive war WIN 1ilii'a-.ho. no !.
much Of a war, but enough to show that
Iapan had an army which could G!se
rood account of itself in the 1ield Ten
wears later Russia had TO bo driven OUT
az Manchuria before she had gained
such a foothold that Japanese dreams OF
dominating China could not be tuliiiieu
Russia was driven out, and then Japan
was at liberty to take up the hmericail
question, always suggesting itsell ior
solution by the stars and stripes hslns
IN the Philippines. ,,
A diplomatic solution Is now pe!ls
sought. 1t is not believed ina, tne
Japanese government, inhuehaeu i N,es,rons ~
Japanese public sentiment, Is deslrous
of linding a solution, unless the SOU
'tion shall permit tho unrestricted I'M
migration OF Japanese to the uhltcu
States, the admission of japanese 10
all the rights and privileges enjoyed
hy people of the most favored nation,
and, possibly. for Japanese pride ana
elf-conidence are unlimited since the
conclusion of tho war with Russia, q
convention by which American sover-
eignty IN the Philippines shall be
transferred to Japan
Will There Be War?
ON tho other hand, the diplomacy OF
America is being eNcrtcd to the ut
most to adjust the differences between
1,,c two powers 1t las to contend at
every point With tho cNorbitnncc OF
Japanese demands.
While it is stated formally and con-
ycntionally Mt the state Department
that satisfactory progress towards II
final settlement of differences is being
made, it is learned from unimpeachable
sources that the progress OF negotia-
tions is entirely the reverse of satis-
factory.
That they are not satisfactory TO the
President and Secretary Root is amply
shown by the fact that the Mayor and