The Washington herald., 1908-06-11
"TEE JAPANESE IN SEATTLE
"The Last Thing We VIII stand Is to
BE Insuited by Newspapers
In the CAPITAL"
From The seattle Aslhi sbimb,,n

From the Seattle Asah shimbin
We often carry dust on our backs
which outsiders can easily depict and OF
which we often remain ignorant. satisfy
Ing ourselves with viewing what we are
able to see. When the facts are told.
We ought 70 be glad TO take advantage
Of the Information. and shake away from
us the dust we have ignorantly carried.
To not heed the kind advice or 10 not
thank the kind observers would make us
guilty Of breaking society's first law. and
subject Us 20 disdain and .mockery by all
who learn Of our stupidity and self-con-
ceit We ought 10 certainly be mindful Of
an act Of kindness in giving us such ad-
vice
However an act Of kindness and an
act Of spying, although both may direct
our attention 10 our own shortcoming
and FOR our own good. are and must be
two distinct things one Is appreciated
from the bottom of our hearts. and the
other is despised and rejected by the law
OF human nature. An act Of kindness IS
stronger ia effect than "a thousand cam
nonadings because il forces MS to reflect
upon ourselves. 20 reform our concep-
uOns. and brings about a salutarv result
in purifying our moral foundation. But
the act Of spying is the weakest Of all
things Notwithstanding 90 strikes hard
and strong, because Il exposes our weak
ness 10 others who sometimes NAV De in
competition or at enmity with us. because
It gives advantages 20 such others over
u.s. because IL produces among our fell
low-creatures q disgusting sentiment
against ms. and because. even though
from the japanese Ambassador. Baron
more alternating or disturbing clements
between and among us and those others.
We must lament 10 read an article en-
titled The japanese I'm Seattle" dated
May l9. 1905 which appeared in The
washington Herald, a well-known con-
servauve newspaper OF the American
Capital. In the article we find. among
other things, the following description:
"onc notable feature of the race question on the
Pacific Coast Is the way The people here al once
'g-in 20 compare The Chincae with the Japauese
always % 'he detriment oi the latter.
called at leading real estate and renting
llce IN Seattle % Inluirc what kind of tenants the
Japanese make The head Of the firm received me-
and there was no mincing of matters in his reply
They arr no good he said emlhatically. They
arc so unreliable and tricky.
"Oue II the principal lines q work tlat attract
he JaI"ncSe IS domestic service but iu this thcy
t-- - r-'il OF lSlNk re ~ilefacfnTr as the thine.
One srrat objection to them Is thar they are uure-
liable and win seldom hesitate o. leave their e.s-
rl7ges in -hc lUrb if sorle more lucrative position
a-eia itself elsewhere. Im- ldencc IS many instances
having been reported where housewives have had 20
telephone f1r their husbands % come home at once
because Che japanese servant had lec1ne ius7lent
10 b sad THAI tg presence % the bli,terous
japanese men and boys iu Ilrre numbers ia the
PARIS ot Seattle ON Sundays and holidays has be-
come -' Objectionable that many ladies and chill
dreu have ceased % frequent these pleasant play
grounds
"Sti1 another cause fcr complaint is the impor,a-
tou %, japanese girls Tor immoral purposes"
The Washington Herald Is too impor-
tant q factor OF the national life IN
Washington. ID. c.. to insert such an ar
tlclo as this and falsely inform the
American man. woman. and child who DO
not know anything about Us. and expose
us TO contempt and ridicule among them.
Could not the editor of The Washington
Herald spare a minute or two. however
precious it might have beeu-beCause IL
concerns the happiness and commercial
prosperity OF over 70011 Japanese Of
every rank and file here. who are repre-
senting in many ways the interests OF
The two uat1ns-to inquire about the
truth Of these facts X Takahlra. our
rightful official Representatives II the
facts were TOO delicate for the Ambassa-
dor 10 discuss because OF HIS oacial po-
siron. then could the editor not have
called upon Dr. MasuG Niyakawa. our
unofficial representative I'm Washington.
ID. G., with whom American visitors
would bee quite al home for he knows
the Japanese conditions at heart while
De Is known partisan 90 American in
terests2
We, the 200 japanese who wish TO be
true friends and pray 20 study what the
Americans want US 90 know. ask If the
present article is an act of kindness. OF
is it the act of spying who came among
Us stealth.iy. not seeking any explana-
tlon nor advising Us 10 reform if Il were
needed, but who suddenly expose US 20
create hatred, contempt, and ridicule for
us among the innocent Americans In the
American National CapitaI2 Think Ye
Note-Wc print the above article. head
and al. precisely as the Asahi Shimbun
has it Besides the naivete Of the Asahrs
English. our japanese contemporary
seems 20 have got mixed I'm his make
ny" but the sense at least of his
protest may he gathered. AS TO the tenor
of our Coutemporary's complaint. we can
only say that We are satisfied that Mr.
Haskin. who wrote the article COM
planned Of knows the facts.-Ed!tor The
Washington Herald.