Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-08
Frazier of Tennessee Crit
icises Course of
Administration.
RAISES RACE ISSUE
Rivers and Harb0rs Bill Passes
the House With All
Amendments.

Washington. Feb. Federal en-
croachment on state rights, with the
Japanese school question as the prin-
cipal Illustration. was the subject of
an address TO the senate today by Sen
ator Frazier OF Tennessee.
Mr.. Frazier said that this was not a
question that concerned California, but
concerned the right of every state To
control its domestic affairs. If the fed
eral government by treaty could rob 4
state of the right to control its own
school system. the last stronghold Of
local self-goyernment was destroyed.
Acts of President.
| If treaty could force MongOlians
| into the white schools of California, Il
like treaty could force the negroes of
Cuba. Santo Domingo, Hayti and the
Congo into the schools of Tennessee
in defiance of the laws for the separa-
ton of the races.
| He expressed the highest admiration
for the japanese. but said that the ac-
tion of California furnished no pre-
ItcXr for quarrel with that country.
The school board of San Francisco lad
simply executed a state law providing
for the education of white and Japan
ese children in separate schools. Il
had been decided over and over again
that states had perfect right to make
such separation; that the state Of Cal
ifornia was but exercising its legal and
4 Unconstitutional power.
Would Affect Negroes.
He denied with emphasis that this
=! government had ever undertaken by
treaty TO interfere with the cOnsttu
2 tional rights of California in this re
! spect Quoting the language of the
treaty. he said: Il challenge anyone
TO find in il a word guaranteeing to
- japanese residents the right to enter
} public schools Of the states at all. much
less to enter them in defiance of state
laws and regulations
. The United States government can
not compel a state to create public
! schools at all. The schools were crea-
lures of state law, maintained by state
} taxation and subject only to state con
troll The right OF residence guarau-
tccd 70 the japanese. implied the right
to work and make a living, but not To
so to school.
Not Contemplated in Treaty.
But even if the right of residence
p did carry with il the right TO enter pub
- lie schools he added. it did not carry
any exemption from the right of sep
arati0n in the schools The treaty
with Japan provided that the japanese
tI 10
ip0licc and regulations of the country
T. like native citizens. Can it be CON
tended that japanese aliens have ac-
Iquired higher privileges than they
Il would have as citizens of the United
l. States?"
Our trouble with Japan. he said. had
lis origin in our colonial policy which
has inspired a fear in the nations OF
the east that we were attempting to
dominate the politics and commerce Of
, the orient.
Il Must Conform TO Laws.
Mr. Frazier dwelt at length on the
f recent speech of Secretary Root, which
= lie declared to be threat to wipe out
/ state lines and absorb all powers of
the states into the federal government.
He quoted the presidents statement
that Mr. Root was the chief expositor
/ of the policies of his administration.
:, Mr Root mad boldly declared that If
d the states did not exercise their pow
= ers as they ought TO, they would be
taken from them by executive and jul
dicial construction. The federal execu-
tive. he said. was to establish a cen
sorship to decide whether or not the
states were properly exercising their
d powers. and if. in its Judgment, they
! were not, the rights were to be taken
away
sees Threat in Roots Speech.
+. He said the president had melted
e insuIrection against Colombia and com
II mitted acts of war without authority OF
! congress; had overridden the treaty
= making power and had threatened &c
ls use the military force of the Unitei
i'll States to override the laws of the state
pf He spoke of the presidents havinl
Y, gone forth with pomp and ceremony.
J. followed by an armed fleet trailing a
,d his heels, after the manner of the Ger
a man kaiser, to visit his outlying prov
/ inces."
p This he said, should not be mad;