The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-07
Japanese Emigration Views

that the American cannot compete
with him. The same thing is true OF
a Chinese coolic, who would come to
our coolies, and we will not have the
Chinese. 1t Is merely an economic
question. and the Americans have a
right to protect their own domestic
system from dangerous economic ele-
ment. We deplore the fact that the
race issue has been brought into the
question, for while the causes leading
TO the agitation were purely economic.
the difficulty may extend and Cause
countries which would otherwise be
the best of friends. We arc hurt that
some Americans have Judged our whole
nation by the conduct of a few OF
Its blacklist sheep, but we harbor 10
resentment and feel that 1t will an
come out right"
This opinion Is that which the Amer
lean VIII find among those OF the gov
erning class with whom he comes in
contact here, and 1t is the opinion of
1.-THE more sober Japanese journals.
However. it does not at all consist
with the action of this same class of
men In the San Francisco school ques-
| ton. where there was no economic
issue and the whole affair resulted
| from segregation of races. in which
| the Japanese were placed with the
Chinese instead OF with the whites.
! The radical opinion is entirely diff
/
numerous, but less influential, portion
| OF the thinking people--the military
faction which is still drunk with sight
of power and blinded by the blood of
| Of the majority OF the vast BODY or
students in the universities. mott OF
them. more or less, infected with So
cialistic ideas. and all OF them sa'clled
| UP with that peculiar concsit which
runs in the blood east of suez.
These classes, guided By the newspa-
| pers and leaders of their side. believe
that loyalty to the honor of Japan
action of the inferior Americans in
snubbing their superiors from the calm
| of the Miksdo.
Their leaders declare that Jealousy
of Japanese industry is the immediate
cause of the anti-immigration aata-
ton but that under it all is the
race question. Their newspapers daaiI
the attacks made upon the JapaPsc
in American cities, extending the re-
ports OF mobs and dwelling on the II
terances OF public men. The bill in
the California Legislature to prevent
foreigners from acquiring land Wls
declared to be aimed at the Japanec.
and one writer, who has degree fron
an American university, informed tie
people OF Japan through the column
of a magazine that this bill aimed Z
lconfiscate the property OF the japanese
land owners In California. The sober
jun polHleu oul Tie uiASi oeii ~
this statement but the two journals
roach a different class.
The singing poverty Of the people
in the throes OF panic has quoted
the war talk of these radicals, and
many pens that wrote with vitriol a
year ago are silent before the oncom-
ing of the great American armada. but
4 the feeling is still there. The closest
inclined TO think that this anti-Ameri-
can and anti-Canadian sentiment liz
not directly resultant from the issues
raised by the emigration question, but
that 1t is only an expression of the
old antiforeign hatred. which kept
Japan under lock and key for LOW
years. 1t is not to be expected that
the habits of thought of twenty CEN
turtles can be wiped out in few de-
cades. The smouldering embers OF this
old anti-foreign feeling, freshened by
q the victories OF the war against RUS
STA, are yet alive, and may be 1ahnen
into flame despite the efforts OF the
governing class to keep them covered
up.
1t is this sentiment which Is be- ,, !.
hind Japan's movement for an Asiatlc
Monroe doctrine. And 1t Is this same
sentiment which will rule in the event
Enant influence in China Then 1t WoulG
possess what 1t now lacks-unlimited
: natural resources and great wealth;
If It gets to that position u the e go "a
then the old feeling of superiority to
the Occidentals. the union of Japanese
and Chinese hatred for foreigners the
cry of "Asla for the Asiatics, VIII
have more force behind It than II
has now, falling from the lips or IRE
sponsible Tokyo students.
Copyright. 1908, by Frederic :
, FIaskin.)
, -morrow-Frenzied Finance II
Japan.