The Detroit times., 1909-02-05
ANTI JAP ANESE.
SCHOOL BILL IS
AN INSULT
president ROOSEVELT.
URGES RECONSIDERATION OF
HOUSES ACTION IN sEGREGA.
TING JAPANESE SCHOOL Chill.
pREN WITH CHINESE.
president ROOSEVELT.

SACRAMENTO, Cal, Feb. 5.--Pres'-
dent Roosevelt has protested against
The passage by the house OF the bill
segregating Japanese school children
an separate schools with Chinese,
Koreans and other Asiatics. No sooner
had the house passed the bill yester-
Jay than the presidents message Of
protest reached Gov. Gillett. As @
result the governor has prepared a
message TO be sent 10 the assembly
urging reconsideration OF the vote on
the school bill
President Roosevelt's message fol-
lows:
Your kind letter just received.
What Is the rumor that the Cali
fornia legislature has passed a bill
excluding the Japanese children
from the public schools? This is
the most offensive bill OF all, and
in my Judgment Is clearly uncon-
stitutional and We should at once
have TO test 1t In the courts. Can
II be stopped I'm the legislature or
by veto?
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The governor at once sent a reply.
the nature Of which he declines at this
time To make public. and requested
from the president on immediate an
swer
Step Planned Two Years Ago.
The bill passed, which was one
CT three anit-Japanese measures in
troduced by Assemblyman Grove l..
Johnson. places the japanese in the
same classification with other Asiat-
les and inserts the word japanese"
in the present state statute providing
for the segregation In separate schools
OF oriental children.
By, this action the lower house OF
the California legislature has taken
the step which the board OF education
OF San Francisco intended 10 take two
years ago. which was abandoned after
the board and former Mayor Eugene
E. Schmitz were called 10 Washington
and had several conferences with
President Roosevelt.
At that time 1t was commended by
the japanese that they were not "ori-
entails" aud they resented the efforts
10 place them IN the same class W,
the Chinese, Koreans and other Asiatic
races. The question was also raised
whether under the law the segregation
OF Japanese school children could be
enforced In the absence OF specific
mention OF the word Japanese"
Upon the return OF the delegation
from Washington the San Francisco
school board contented itself with the
adoption of rule limiting the age Of
pupils that would be permitted TO at
tend the lower grades of the public
schools, one OF the principal objec-
tions to the Japanese being that adults
were attending the primary grades
and In daily association with white
children of tender years.
Governor Intervenes.
The passage OF the Japanese school
segregation bill was unexpected. At
ter the defeat OF Drew's anti
alien land bill. which was gener-
ally believed to foreshadow the re-
lection OF all the measures aimed
at the Japanese, the defeat of two
more antiJapanese bills. added to the
surprise occasioned by the vote on the
school segregation bill.
Immediately upon learning OF the
assembly's action, Gov. Gillett called
Tito conference Speaker Philip Stan
ton and the Republican leaders Of both
houses OF the legislature.
The latter expressed the hope o.
still being able TO defeat the measure
III the assembly upon reconsideration.
and 1t was with this view that AS
semblyman Walter Leeds, OF Los
Angeles, after roll call. changed his
vote from mo" to yes" and gave
notice that he would move 10 recon
slider the vote of AZ to &c by which
the bill was passed.
1t will require Al votes to carry