Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-12
THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA
They Do Not Care a Rap About
The Japanese School Question,
Says Mayor Schmitz.
BUT THEY WANT NO COOLIES.
Conference at White House Results In
No agreement us Yet--Another
To be Held Soon.

Washington. Feb. 1i,--As result Of
an hours conference at the White
House this afternoon, at which Presl-
dent Roosevelt. Secy, Root, Mayor
Schmitz Of san Francisco, and the
members OF the school board of that
city participated, Mayor Sohmitz late
tonight made statement summarize
ing the situation.
When asked whether the proposition
submitted by the San Francisco dele
cation called for the exclusion OF Japa-
nese coolie labor from this country.
Mayor SchnitZ replied:
I'VE are not making treaty ana
have not discussed with the president
the question of excluding the Japanese
from this country by treaty. Saturday
we heard the presidents views, and to-
day we presented our side of the ques-
ton. 1t now remains for us 10 modify
otn views in order to reach an agree
mcnt with the president, or for Mr..
Roosevelt to modify his Views to reach
an agreement with US. Today's confer
ence adjourned subject to the call OF
the president and ! do not believe
that we will be called TO the White
House again until Thursday or Friday"
1t has been agreed that the whole
matter viii be considered at the meet
clined to say whether the question of
excluding the Japanese coolies by leg
islation formed part of their PROPOSE
ton, which was submitted today In
writing. Mayor Schmitz and other
members of the San Francisco delega-
ton have received hundreds of tele-
grams urging them to advocate tref-
~ excluding Japanese laborers and leg
islation by Congress TO carry out the
provisions of this treaty. The mayor
has admitted to members of the Cali
fornia delegation in Congress that
while he Is very ANXIOUS to reach a sat
isfactory agreement with the president
and stands willing TO make any conces-
sions that Will be for the good of the
whole country yet he hesitates in.mak-
ing any agreement that will not mecs
with the approval of California. TIL.
private dispatches from the coast have
in all instances indicated the Wide in
terest of the people there.
1t can be authoritstlVely stated that
the president has appealed to Mayor
SchmitZ and his associates to bring the
anti-Japanese agitation to an end by
resembling the order for oriental
schools. Under the California law the
question of separate schools is left to
the discretion of the school authorities,
and before the earthquake disaster the
Japanese were admitted TO the white
schools. Mayor Schmitz declares that
the only reason for establishing the
separate institutions was because the
Japanese were crowding the white chill
dren out in certain districts. When
asked as to the general tone OF the tele-
grams received from San Francisco,
Mayor Schmitz said:
The people of California do not
give a rap about the school question,
but they are opposed TO the admission
of Japanese coolies into this country"
Members OF the California delega-
tion In Congress tonight expressed ig-
norance of the nature of the basis of
settlement.
The widespread newspaper comment
was deprecated at the conference and
the participants pledged themselves
anew to refrain from statements until
such conclusions have been reached.
The San Francisco delegation has
agreed that all statements for publica-
ton must come from Mayor Schmitz,
While Representative Hayes is acting
as spokesman for the congressional
delegation.
As the Californians We're leaving the
White House this afternoon the mayor
was asked If copy of a Japanese
treaty on exclusion OF laborers fraV
that country had been exhibited, but
Mr.. Schmitz replied that he had not
seen anything of that sort.
Secy Root remained with the presl-
dent for some time after the Califor-
mans left, and toward nightfan took a
long walk with him.