Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1907-03-18

perhaps inesitable that the CallfOr.
MIA legislature should b. Ignored
Possibly It's pride was seriously hurt
because the national government had
dealt directly With u mere mayor
and had even made al agreemeB,
with him affecting municipal Tega-
lattons and national Legislation. NJ
one would have Ind reason to sup
pose, when schmnx vas mt Wash.
lngton. that California had a govern
or and legislature whose authority
transcribed by far that Of any may.
or Or board ~ education tn the COM
m0nwealth.
These facts. whose half humorous
aspect forces itself upon one. are
referred to as a possible explanation
III the sensational way in which the
California Legislature has been busy.
ing itself the past week with ques-
tons which affect the International
toaatFnhs uSA"StH tue &h4lSa oSaNGa
and Japan. This body has succeed,
ed In reminding the president Of the
United States that II exists and that,
IL It chooses 20 "cut up" the San
Francisco school board and mayor
are simply nowhere. The suspicion
must be strong In the mind Of every
one that a determination to be felt
In this matter was In part RESPONSE
bic for the Legislatures activity. aft
er the RooseyeltSchmitz compro
mise had been generally accepted by
the country as a temporary settle
ment of the grave questions involv
cd. The California Legislature II
blessed with its share Of politicians
LOT both parties who seek TO eurr,
favor with the voters by the pass
age OF resolutions and laws which
reflect popalaf sentiment. and. SCI
/. cure I'm their constitutional rights Al
Legislators. they set out to follow th'
|, immemorial American custom Of OK
ercising those rights utterly regard
, less Of how abroad might fee
about the corpus of their iegislativ,
achievement.
There was a precedent In Caiifor
MIA history for the proposed popula
referendum on Japanese immigration
which was provided for IN one O
the bills. for years ago during tn
agitation against the Chinese tn
question OF immigration was put I
the popular vote with overwhelmin
U results In favor OF exclusion, A sin
u liar demonstration Of California scr
T. timent adverse TO Japanese immlgr'
ton was now desired by the locs
VI agitators. who, however, failed OF
tirely TO take into account the vas
j. difference between Japan and Chin
~ While the anti-Chinese vote year
g. ago aroused little resentment 1
10 China. because the people there WEI
Ie not awake to happenings in the on
side world and had developed scare
n Is any national pride, d popular vut
Of by the citizens Of California againl
b Japanese immigration would sure
wound Japanese sensibilitics. 81
Al bitter the relations between the tw
countries. The same may he sa
,e concerning the effect of the 9TH
r. measures unanimously passed Ia
Id week by the California senate TT
proposed amendment Of the Mo
+ golian" school law and the resoiutiC
a hostile 10 Japanese naturalizatit
no were not only untimeiy and unnc
/. esSarv. but full Of mischief In the
,r I%capacity for arousing rescntmc
m among the people Of Japan.
~ Some mischief was done. rrobahl
!, by the action Of the California 81
ate. whose unanimity had advcrtis,
49, to the world the sentiments that u
., qucstionahly sway the eutire iceisl
tive body, Now that. In response
=, president Rooscvelt's h~alf>agoniz'
appeals. the California house has d
termined TO leave Japanese quo
. tions alone for the remainder Of 4
=" SESSION.. thus making sure that no
:. of these measures will be enacted,
= is CLEAR that the situation won
have been much improved had 4
" senate taken no action In the fiji
place, Mr.. Roosevclt'S i~nterpositi
" at the last moment. in order 10 ga
10 the diplomatic situation in which [
I" national government is vitality &C
u" cerned. revealed the administratio
- absolutely at the mercy Of the ga
III