The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-09
IRRESPONSIBLE
President Roosevelt Turns Big
Guns at California.
Long Telegram Sent to Speaker
of the House.
1T CAN DO NO GOOD.
Says Pending Legislation Will
Only Make Mischief.
1T CAN DO NO GOOD.
Federal Government Will Take
Care of the Situation.

| Roosevelt in long telegram to
! Speaker p. A. Stanton, of the Califor-
mia assembly. set forth the govern
ment's view of the anti-Japanese
school legislation now before that
| body The telegram was sent only af-
ter conference with Senator Flint
and Representative Kahn of Califor-
mia, and F. K. Lane Of the InterSta te
Commerce commission. To Speaker
Stanton. the president sent the follow
ing:
81 trust there will be no misunder-
standing of the federal governments
attitude. We are zealouSly endeavor-
ing to guard the interest of California
and of the entire west in accordance
with the desires of our western people.
By friendly agreement with Japan we
are now carrying out policy which,
while meeting the interests and desires
of the Pacific slope is yet compatible
not merely with the mutual respect,
but with the mutual esteem and adj
miration the Americans and japanese.
1.-THE Japanese government is loyal
~ and in good faith doing its part to
carry out this policy, precisely as the
American government is doing. The
policy aims at mutually in obliga-
ton and behavior.
In accordance with it the purpose
is that the Japanese shall come here
exactly as Americans go to Japan,
which is. in effect, that travellers, stu
al business, men who sojourn for
pleasure or study, and the like, shall
have the freeSt access from one coun--
try to the other, and shall be sure of
the best treatment. but that there
shall be no settlement in mass. by the.
people of either country in the other.
More Go Than Come
During the last six months under
this policy more japanese have left
the country than have come in. and
the total number in the United States
has diminished by over two thousand
These figures are absolutely accurate
and cannot be impeached. In other
words, if the present policy is consist
emily followed and works as we'll In
the future as it is now working, all
difficulties and causes of friction will
disappear. while at the same time each
nation will retain it's self respect and
the good will of the other. But such
a bill as this school bill accomplishes
literally nothing whatever in the line
of object aimed at and gives just and
grave cause for irritation; while in
addition the United States government
would be obliged to take action in the
federal courts to test such legislation
as we hold it to be clearly violation
of a treaty
on this principle | refer you. to the
supreme court in regard to state laws
which violate treaty obligations of the
United States.
EOHlcleS compared.
1.-The legislation wuold accomplish moth
ing beneficial and would certainly cause
some mischief and might cause very
grave mischief. In short. the policy of the
administration Is to combine the maxi
mum of efficiency in achieving the real
object which the people of the Pacific
of friction and trouble while the mis-
guided men who advocate such action as
this against which protest are following
a policy which com bines the very mini
mum of efficiency with the maximum of
insult and which while totally falling to
achieve any real result for good yet might
accomplish an inf1nity of harm
IF, in the next year or two, the action
OF the federal government fails to
achieve what it is now achieving, then,
through the further action of the presi-
dent and congress it can be made entire
ly efficient. I am sure that the sound
support you, Mr.. Speaker, in your efforts.
Let me repeat that at present are &C
tually doing the very thing which the
people of California wish to be done. and
to upset the arrangement may do harm.
If, in the next year or two, the figures of
immigration prove that the arrangement
which has worked so successfully during
the last six months is no longer working /
successfully, then there would be ground
for grievance, and for the reversal by the
government of its present policy. |
But at present the policy is working well
and until it works badly it would be a
grave misfortune to change it and when
changed it can only be changed effective
>sHTHEODORE ROOSEVELT"