Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-01-23
Canadian Oficial Made Public
Part Of the Results Of His
Mission to Japan.
LABORERs NOT PROHIBITED
Canada Was Offered Just Two Alter
natives, Accept What the Jap
anese Offered or Abro-
gate the Treaty.

OttdWd, Onl., jan. zl.-fO6tHdSLt
General Lemieux, In the house Tues
day made a report on his recent mis-
sion to Toxic. Mr.. Lemieux declared
that as result of his negotiations
with the mikados government, an ef
fective check had been put on the
emigration of japanese from Hawai-
to Canada and that he received as
surances that the Japanese govern
ment was not only anxious to meet
Canada's wishes In the matter of re
stricting direct emigration, but he re
garded such emigration as an econo
mic loss to Japan, whose policy Of
colonization IL confined to Korea and
Manchuria.
Mr.. Lemieux briefly stated the
causes of anti-Japanese feeling in
British Columbia, which eliminated
In the riots there and reviewed the
various treaties and conventions
with Japan. BY treaty the Japanese
were unequivocally given the same
rights as any British subject In Can
ada and the real cause Of the recent
agitation was the broad Interpretation
Of this treaty by some enterprising
emigration companies. 1t was on the
faith of a tacit understanding with
Japan that the latter would restrict
emigration that parliament gave Its
sanction to the treaty.
Mr.. Lemieux then gave figures to
show that as soon as the treaty had
been signed an incessant tide of emf
grants poured into British Columbia
from Japan and Hawaii. The Japan
ese government was not responsible
for that influx, he said. No charge
OF bad faith can be made against
them. The emigration companies
were chiefly responsible.
Mr.. Lemieux then dealt with pub
lie opinion in Japan. Being a proud
and sensitive people, he said, the Jap
anese cannot admit that today's racial
prejudices will last forever. Japan
claims that her standard of civiliza-
ton are on par with those of west
ern nations ana the crux of their
grievances against not only Canada.
but the United States is that America
admits immigrants from Europe but
shuts the door upon Japanese. This
they say, is a fragrant contravention
of the treaty In which they are guar
anteed equal treatment with that ac
corded subjects of all other countries.
They regard It as an aspefslon on
their nationality and will not be salts
fed until the discriminating treat
ment is abolished.
LET me now refer to the negotia-
lions so far as | am authorized to
make them public" said Mr.. Lemieux,
but one must bear in mind that the
question at issue is one affecting not
only Canada, but as result of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance, the British
empire itself. l am therefore, not at
liberty to .divulge condolences and
documents of q confidential nature.
Il ask parliament to trust the repre-
Ientatives Of Great Britain and Can
ida in this matter. The written as
urance have received from the
Minister Of foreign affairs that Japan
Will in the future restrict her emf
ration to Canada ID the best evil
lence that the new arrangement is on
satisfactory and permanent basis"
The document containing this as
urance is dated at Toxic, December
g. 1907, and is signed by Baron
Iayashi. |
A series Of most stringent regula.
ions accompanied by instructions ad-
ressed to the local governor and the
onsuls in Canada accompanied
aaron Hayashi's letter.
These regulations, Mr.. Lemeiux
ould not make public except to say
hey were satisfactory to Canada. One
eature was that all immigration of
ontract laborers, artisans included,
Tas not prohibited.
After all there we're only two al
ernatives," said Mr.. Lemieux in con-
fusion. Canada must abrogate the
reaty or accept the arrangement.
would mean serious
reak in the treaty alliance between
anada and Japan"