The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-08-26

SEEs dONOLDLU, H1G0 i
can. unfortunately, not he described
as mere Missionaries or dreamers.' says
the Spectator The hard. practical
facts Of the case are With the pessi-
Tnisrs. We may sum mp the situation.
Indeed, by saying that though things
az present are noE nearly as bad as
The man n the street supposes, the
future outlook. rhough not necessarily
a near future. i probably a good deal
worse than he lmagtnes.
THE cALF5RNIAN TROUBLE.
50 much for the general statement
Of the issues which hang on this trem-
endous problem. The whole matter IS
forced on public attention Just Row by
the conflict IN California between
Americans and japanese. The inter
national standing OF Japan among the
nations seemed 70 have been estab-
IiShed by sacrifices and achievements
as heroic. whether IN peace or war, as
ever we're credited 70 any country. %
says the Telegraph. s'She took her
place as a Great Power, A nation
among her equals. Yet in California
her subjects admitted under treaty
are misused as though they were
helots or pariahs. The United States
government Acknowledges that inJus-
tice has been committed. but is almost
absolutely prevented, by the liIniIa-
Iions OF the American Constitution,
from giving effectual redress. That
is the deadlock which has been Great
Z - -
for craftsmanship at washington as
it is trying to the government Of To-
kio and exasperating 10 the national
sentiment Of its subjects
QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS.
"A solution can only be reached by
placing a very loose Interpretation up
on the letter Of the law. and allowing
unconventional and uncomprouising
common sense to form a substitute fer
pedantry and parchment. Tie Amer
lean case. and we shall endeayor to
put it as fairly as the Japanese, Is
much better in reason than in logic.
whether from the social or the politi-
cal point Of view. the problem for the
United States is real and il Is grave.
II IS raised by the procedure of the
Californian authorities. whether NUM-
cfpal bodies or State legislature. At
their instigation. or through their So
pineness. the subjects Of a great and
friendly Power, in peaceful exercise
Of their treaty rights, have been har-
assed and Inundated. There has been
an endeavor 10 exclude them from
American soil and 10 boycott them
where they are settled upon it They
have been elected from the public
schools and obstructed IN the pursuit
OF their business. There has been an
attempt TO place a stigma Of racial
inferiority upon them
These things have not only been
done. they have been done brutaIly.
cynically, and with every wanton
slight calculated To poison the wound
in the minds OF a people more sensj-
tive than any other upon the point Of
honor And upon this subject the
local legislation Of California has con-
sistently deied and set at naught the
treaty law Of the United states It is
not possible 10 doubt that japanese
subjects now in the United States are
entitled 10 protection. It is not pos
sfble 10 doubt either that apcn this
point at least an overwhelming ma
jority Of American citizens wiz CRAP
pie sooner or later with the most
fagrant abuse Of State rights since
the secession Of the Slave states. and
viii insist that justice shall be done.
California is combinations, but the
United States as a whole is pledged
by international engagements freely
entered into.''
PEACE BY CIVIL WAR?
eft IS the honor of the Republic It
self that is at stake, much more than
continues the Telegraph. In
this sense President Roosevelt himself
has pleaded again and again, and We
do not doubt that his voice viii again
he heard in unchanged and powerful
accents. In this sense Mr.. Root, who
IS one Of the abIest, most attractive,
most courageous figures IN the public
life Of any country, has dared 70, urge,
and undoubtedly with his Presidents
approval. that even The American Con-
stirution should be amended when the
letter Of its provision IS used IN pure
IL local interests BY a minority reck-
less Of the reputation and interests Of
the State itself Yet the American
Constitution is almost Interchangeable.
though it is proving more and more
adapted To modern needs.
II is Ike a suit Of cast-iron clothes
made 10 the measure Of growing
boy TIE President has no power TO
control California BY anything short
Of armed occupation, and our allies
viii hardly desire that he should at
tempt the paradox Of forcibly pre-
serving International peace BY risking
siviI war. Never was Il truer than
Ia this particular case that force is no