The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-02-06
The "Asiatic Peril.o

The 'sAsiatic Peril.''
Whether the alarm in parts of our
main territory over possible japanese
invasion by way of immigrant ports
was baseless or not. this country can
not be put in the ridiculous class be-
cause OF the high notes of protest that
nave been aimed against the importa-
ton of Asiatics. Our neighbors north
and south having Pacific coast interests
to guard are more outspoken than our
selves over the proposition Of Count
Okuma, ex-premier of Japan, to push
Japanese expansion until the subjects
of the mikado overspread the face of
the earth like cloud Of locusts. Oku-
ma points his countrymen to Chile or
: Mexico or Peru or Brazil because of
the scarcity of labor there. To this
proposition the Chilean minister of for
eign affairs answered in recent inter-
! view as follows:
! Japanese immigration must be firmly
opposed not only in South America, but
In the whole American continent The
same remark applies to Chinese immi-
grafton, since everything that provokes
peril or threats for the future is to be
avoided, and any discrimination in the
treatment of Asiatics would offend the
Japanese and arouse their yet unglutted
greed for warlike conquest. A pretext
might thus be afforded them Of proving
that their naval and military forces were
not intended merely for parade In short.
re- Of cIo, i,,l,,
nations of South America to adopt the
Monroe doctrine although hitherto it has
been regarded with suspicion by Europe
and with jealousy and fear by the repub-
lies Of South America for many years
past.
Pan-Americanism has indeed no reason
for its existence as far as regards Eu-
rope. for the tendency of European eX-
pansion Is purely commercial and pacific
1t ought. however, to be adopted as an
1nvlnclble weapon against the plans and
intentions of that "empire of the orient
which has so lately risen up to new life
and already manifests so dire a greed Of
conquest.
Unlike the South American states
designated, Canada's western territory
does not come within Japans sphere
of influence on the Pacific" as outlined
by Count Okuma. Nevertheless, the
"Asiatic peril'' exemplifed by the ag-
gressiveness Of the Japanese immi-
grants brings no little alarm to the
thoughtful people Of the Dominion.
Referring to the partisan attitude fol-
lowed by certain statesmen who have
tried to adjust the Vancouver matter
amicably with the Japanese govern
ment, the Toronto Globe said recently,
"What Canadians will hold on to is
that our Pacific shores shall not be
overrun with Asiatics." The Toronto
Saturday Night declares that the .ldmis-
sion Of Asiatics to English speaking
countries ION their own terms" must
stop and continues:
We must possess the country more COM
pletely than we do before we can feel
sure Of it against an invasion from the
east. You can walk along a street in
either Vancouver Victoria and by
turning a corner find yourself in ASIA
Where a moment before you were in a
modern white mans city. with wide streets.
spacious buildings, brilliant lights you
are now in close packed warren of
hoary Picking. In a house where fifty
Whites nave OOarQeO are CROWDED
together thousand Chinese: in a room
where one white man used to sleep twen-
ty orientals not only sleep. but make their
homes. Each house can give forth a
population equal to that of a long street
OF homes occupied by whites. In a roomy
continent, with space unlimited these
people pack themselves away like sar-
dimes in a box. You come back to the
main street from your visit to Chinatown
feeling that you have emerged from Asia
and the back ages, and you wonder for
the rest of your natural life why munich
pal authorities, particular in other
matters, allow Asia spots to fasten upon
and grow In such places. Surely this is
all wrong. We hold possession Of Amer
1ca-we saw it f1rst-it is worth holding
and worth controlling. and we should
square away to the job of riveting It
down as ours. 1t would be foolish to give
away points in. this great race game.
While union under the banner of
pan-Am ericanism is offered as a rene
dy in South America, the Canadians
are exhorted to crowd the yellows out
by bringing, more and more whites in.
This last is Il compromise measure as,
things stand and might result merely
in passing on to posterity the inevitable
battle for white mans rule.
An executive order to abolish the