The San Francisco call., 1907-02-10

next conference, which I think will be
on Monday the delegation will prepare
the outline of its case. We are prepared
to receive and consider proposals from
the President and the Secretary of
state, or TO make proposals. We agreed
that nothing regarding the details of
the meeting were to be discussed with
the newspapers. and L shall have no
further statement to make"
During the evening several members
of the California Congressional delega-
tion visited Mayor Schmitz at the New
Willard and members of the school
board spent the evening in the hotel
lobby. One of them. who exacted the
promise that his name should not be
divulged. consented TO discuss the con-
ference. He said:
The President made the same kind of
a talk TO us that he made to the mem
bers Of Congress last week. He laid
great stress on the necessity of
smoothing down Japan by convincing
her that she was equal to any other
power. He said that we did not real
ize. perhaps, the seriousness of the
situation. He told US that people of
Japan were sore over the treatment
of their children in San Francisco be-
cause they regarded it as an attempt
TO place them on a par with the Chi
nese. He said that this feeling of re-
sentiment seemed to be growing and
that the Japanese Government was do
ing its best to keep it down.
STANDS FOR EXCLUSION
The President explained that the
situation was made more ugly because
of anti-Japanese feeling on the Pacific
Coast Here We're two nations, he
pointed out, confronting each other
whose people We're growing more and
frrifarHS inoidant
another. II was only natural that
something serious would happen If
matters were not patched up.
Then the President told US that he
was with US on the policy of exclusion
OF japanese laborers. The question,
he said, was just how to bring this
about. with the Japanese people in a
mood to protest against any move that
would discriminate against them. The
exclusion of japanese would have to
be accomplished with the consent and
aid OF Japan herself he said.
He believed that if the United States
were 10 pass an exclusion act without
consulting Japan II would be deeply re-
sented. He intimated that he could not
approve such an act. The President
told US that we could not expect Japan
to agree TO an exclusion treaty so long
as she was convinced that she was be-
ing deprived of her rights under the ex-
listing treaty.
PRESIDENTS CORDIAL GREETING
The President said he thought that
Japan could be granted the most IA
vored nation privileges without in
fringing upon the right ef California to.
control her schools. so long az the ques-
ton was not raised. We asked the
President how broad the scope of pro-
posed exclusion of japanese laborers
ers. He did not go into that very fully
or satisfactorily. He kept insisting on
meeting Japan half way before we
could expect to negotiate any kind of
an exclusion treaty.
both he and Secretary Root laid
stress on the point that Japan would
stand pat on the proposition that she
was the equal of any other power and
must be recognized as such in the
treaty. There was some talk Of re-
ciprocsl concessions in the proposed
treaty in au indefinite way. 1t seems
to be the Presidents idea that We
should agree TO the exclusion of Ameri-
can laborers from Japan, or at least TO
provide that If Japan took such action
we would not object
When we first went in we were cor
daily received. The President did not
flourish any big stick at us He smiled
all over and shook hands all around.
Mayor Schmitz said: I hope that
you viii not believe all the things that
you have read about me. Mr.. President
The President replied: And 1 hope
that you don't believe all that you read
in the papers,
"BASSOON PLAYER INCIDENT
We all laughed at this, because it
was the Presidents way of smoothing
over his description of Mayor Schmitz
as a 'bassoon player We all let it go
at that, and the serious lalk began.
Mayor Schmitz and President Walsh
explained to the President what they
had done in establishing an Oriental
school and sending Chinese and Japan
est school children to it. The President
was well posted. but our side was ex-