Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-06
CHANGE IN SENTIMENT
ON THE JAPANESE SCHOOL CUES
TON IN CALIFORNIA.


President Roosevelt is receiving kilograms
and letters from California indicating that
public sentiment there, is undergoing a
change on the japanese school question, or
that 1t has heretofore beezr misrepresented
Since the talk Of the President with the
California members OF Congress a short
time ago great influence has been brought
to bear to cause q change In the attitude
OF the San Francisco school authorities and
appeals have been made to influential men
and organizations to help In revealing the
true sentiment" Of the state.
The White House, today, made public the
following telegram received by the Presi-
dent from Los Angeles. CAL:
THE board Of directors of the Los An
geles Chamber Of Commerce today unani-
mousiy passed the following resolution. and
directed that 1t be forwarded to you to be
used at your discresion:aa
Resolved. That the board Of directors
Of the Los Angeles Chamber Of Commerce
believes that the public sentiment of the
state Of California, and especially Of south
ern California, upon the question of the
exclusion OF the Japanese from the gen.
eral public school system Of the state, has
b.en tc some extent misrepresented and Is
largely misunderstood. and as representing
the commercial and business interests Of
the second city of the state and in view of
the national Importance which the ques-
ton has assumed, the board feels impelled
to correct such Misrepresentation so far as
1t Is In its power to do
In the first place 1t would seem that
the question IS one Of principle or Of
sentiment, or Of practical politics rather
than of immediate vital Importance. so
tar as 1t affects the welfare Of the children
IN our public schools. The board is re-
liably informed that, when the question
was first agitated. the total number Of
Japanese in the public schools of San
Francisco was ninety three Of which
twenty-eight were girls and sixty-five boys
Thirty-four of the boys we're under six
teen years Of age; Of the thirty-one who
were in the primary schools. the oldest
being nineteen years old. There are about
the same number Of Japanese in the pub
lie schools of Los Angeles. and 1t Is re-
ported on good authority, both from San
Francisco and Los Angeles. that no COM
plant of bad conduct on the part OF Japa-
nese scholars has ever come to the knowl-
edge Of the school superintendent of either
Of these cities.
This board is convinced that the senti-
against the mnglihg. in the primary grades
of our schools. Of adults or adolescents OF
whatever race or nationality with the
younger children. Upon the main question,
whatever may be the diversity OF opinion
upon the constitutional and legal phases.
this board is assured that the general trend
of public opinion. in, southern California is
decidedly adverse to any discrimination
against the Japanese as q people In matters
of public school privileges, and they believe
that this opinion Is based upon considera-
ton of equity and justice and is held alto
gether independently OF any attitude which
the Japanese government has assumed or
may assume in regard to the question.
'tW. J. .WASHBURN, President
FRANK WfGGINS;- Secretary"