The Washington herald., 1907-11-28
Stopping the Trouble

It will be curious TO note. if one stops
TO think about it. that the silence over
the Japanese immigration problem has
become 50 profound you can almost
hear it. subject which only a few
weeks ago was working enthusiasts like
Capt Hobson up to talk of the possibili-
ties Of war has practically dropped out Of
sight. It is interesting to find out why
this is so.
The japanese government, shortly after
the immigration difficulties spread to
Canada, began 10 take a hand in the
matter. and finding that our immigration
laws were insufficient to cover the case,
and that talk of revising the laws was
accompanied by some heat and good
deal Of prejudice. it adopted measures
% put an end. at least for a time, to the
whole difficulty.
Until quite recently emigration from
Japan has been melted and promoted by
various speculative companies. similar in
operation TO those which. in European
countries. ship emigrants TO the United
States, Canada. and Australia. These
companies In Japan often induced their
countrymen TO emigrate to this country
or Canada through Misrepresentation and
promises which failed of fulfllment
Thousands of japanese were thus shipped
away. to the profit OF the emigration COM
panies. but to the discomfort and loss Of
the emigrants. At one time there were
over thirty Of these emigrant companies
operating in Japan; they paid a certain
10 1,l
taxation, but it was their methods which
threatened TO involve the nation In trou-
bic. and the government rather eagerly
welcomed q preteXt for aboIlshIng them.
\ decree was enacted that every emf
grafton company doing business in Japan
must deposit with the government S25,OO0.
which might be used TO indemnify emf
grants suffering through false promises.
one by one the companies dropped off,
until now there are only one or two In
existence
In addition to this, the japanese govern
ment has imposed stringent restrictions
on emigration. The number of persons
allowed to emigrate from Japan now Is
thirty-tive a month. Of whom eighteen
may be males and seventeen females.
This is less than 1 per cent Of the num-
bers which were leaving Japan before the
enactment. and it reduces the business
of the emigration companies TO unproft-
able and merely nominal proportions.
The problem has thus been solved from
the right end. and the trouble has stopped.
That there must be some provision for
the enormous annual increase in Japan's
population is evident. II is said that she
has an increase of 10000 year, a
formidable number for a nation that
cannot grow enough to feed its people.
1t is expected that the remaining emf
grafton companies will be consolidated
into one company or bureau under direct
governmental control, and that this viii
be used 10 facilitate the colonization of
japanese in Southern Manchuria For
mosa, Korea, and also in Brazil. where
the japanese are eagerly welcomed. In
Korea and Southern Manchuria there is
room for 100000 immigrants, so here is
an outlet for the surplus population of
Japan for many years 10 come.
There has been in Japan some resent
ment over the new restrictions on emil
grafton, but this dissatisfaction at home
must be much easier for the Japanese
government 10 dispose Of than the inter-
national troubles which threatened over
the question The new solution of the
emigration problem which the japanese
have evolved will, in the end. work out
FOR the betterment OF the island empire
and its possessions and protpctorafas l.,
the Orient.