The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1907-02-08
The Japanese Question
Looms Up.

clusion of the Japanese from the
San Francisco public schools was
going to be Immediately settled
by a new treaty excluding Japa-
nese laborers from immigrating
to the United States, seems not
by any means as reliable as was
first supposed.
It was proposed that if the
Californians would relax their
opposition to the Japaneseal already
in that state a new treaty would
be made that would shut out all
future japanese immigration, and
and there was a fair prospect
that the Californians would make
such concession for the sake of
future protection from Japanese
sWarms.
The prospect now is that no
such treaty can be ratified. A
Toxic dispatch, under date of
Feb. 3, states that any settle
ment between the two nations
must be made under the provis-
IONS of the existing treaty and
only according to it's guarantees.
No sacrifice of Japanese honor
and prestige will be countenanc-
ed. So much for; the Japanese
side of the question. On the
American side, according to the
prevailing feeling at Washing
ton, the Presidents new treaty
proposition is doomed to certain
defeat because it contains a
clause guaranteeing. that if la
borers from Japan are to be eX-
cluded from the United Statss
no laborers from this country
shall be allowed to go to Japan.
According to statements made
by Senators, the Senate will re-
fuse to ratify any treaty in which
invidious distinction as to any
class of American citizens is
made; therefore, there will be
determined opposition to barring
out workingmen while million
aires and persons of quality are
to go to and travel in Japan at
pleasure. If any are excluded
let all be kept without dlscrlml-
nation. AS there are no class
distinctions in this country there
would be a tremendous popular
outcry against having them de-
fined in a treaty. 1t is doubtful
whether any Senator would dare
vote for the ratification of such a
convention and thell appeal to
his people for reelection. The
complete exclusion of all Amer
leans would be accepted with but
little less resentment.
In the meantime the Mayor
and the school authorities of San
Francisco are now, at the invita-
tiou of the President, on their
way to Washington to confer
with him, and they are to be
asked to give up their opposition
to the Japanese in the schools on
condition of securing a treaty
barring out Japanese who threat
en- to overrun the Pacific States.
But in view Of the predicted i'm
possibility of having any such
treaty ratified, the Presidents
appeal to the San Francisco school
authorities is likely to be barren
of results, and some other meth
cd of placating and satisfying
the arrogant and punctilious Asia
tics must be found at any cost.
It would seem that the presl-
dent himself has reached the
conclusion that the proposed new
treaty will pass neither in Japan
nor at home here, and some new.
scheme must be tried, 1t is CIV
en- out from Washington that the
president has two propositions
which he intends to have passed
| on by the supreme court. He
has his contentious outlined in
the suit already brought under
instructions from the department
of Justice in San Francisco, and
will carry them through all inter.
vening tribunals to the court OF
last resort. The propositions are
these:
First, that the federal govern
ment has right to exercise such
supervision over the public schools
1of a state as is necessary to car
ry out treaty stipulations, be-
cause the government donated
the lands for the maintenance OF
such schools.
Second, that the Japanese are
not Mongolians, and, therefore,
can not be excluded from the
public schools on the same basis
i as Chinese and other Orientals
| The legal experts of the gov
ernment, after carefully study
ling both these propositions, be-
llieve there is sufficient founda-
/ ton for testing them in the
courts. It is claimed that by DO
mating lands belonging to the
public domain for the establish
mant of schools, the federal au-
liberties retain some degree OF
+..,I a.,a, tlaSa Institutions.