The San Francisco call., 1909-02-22
EXCLUSION LEAGUE
RAPS PRESIDENT
Washington Referred To as One
Who Did Not Interfere
With States
-AzsembIyman Drew's Explana-
ion Termed as Mere
wool Pulling"

BY innuendo and by direct assertion
sident Roosevelt was criticised by
the Asiatic exclusion league at a lively
meeting held yesterday at 3ls Four
teenth street. Assemblyman 4. N. Drew,
whose anti-Japanese pfil was defeated
IN the legislature Jared even worse. for
his motives and sincerity were ques-
toned. and the secretary was instructed
10 write him a letter informing him
that the league wound remember him"
and that his lame explanations We're
merely wool pulling"
Letters from Congressman Hayes. in
which he regretted that the California
legislature had been intimidated and
failed to pass any OF the bills on ori-
entail questions. all Of which We're de-
manded by the situation" We're read by
Secretary Yoell and indorsed by the
league
A letter from Roswell A. Benedict. the
author Of "Malefactors of Great
Wealth" addressed TO Congressman
Kahn and criticising the actions Of the
president IN the recent state anti-Japa-
nese legislation. was heartily indorsed
by the meeting.
State Senator Marc Anthony addressed
the meeting on the subject OF Caminet-
It's resolution. which proposes TO extend
The terms and provisions Of the Chinese
exclusion law so as TO apply to and in
clude all Asiatics. Anthony said that
the attitude Of Governor Gillett Will be,
of course, against the measure when it
comes up in the senate on Wednesday
next and that he believed that many of
I.
ROOSEVELT A DESPOT
Anthony characterized the act Of Pres
ident Roosevelt in interfering with state
legislation as that of a despot, and said
that the defeat OF the anti-Japanese
legislation amounted 10 q submission to
laws made in Japan. He said that the
federal government had the right 10 en-
act anti-Japanese Legislation. and re-
ferred TO the letter Of Roswell Benedict
which read that no treaty compelling
California 10 admit the Mongolian
hordes Of eastern Asia TO their territory
10 the prejudice of naturalized citizens
states" and that 10 effect such coher-
ency was the sole and only object of the
constitution Of the United States.
A controversy was started by the
reading Of a resolution by J. .. Gra-
ham which proposed to boycott all
20 AduCSG EOQGS. IL was dfS uEu Lnal
Secretary Metcalf had been told by the
officers Of the league that 1t was not
boycott organization, but E. B. Carr,
the vice president acting as chairman.
would not rule on the question until il
had been thoroughly thrashed out and
not without considerable heat 1t was
finally laid on the table.
Andrew Gallagher believed that the
resolutions should be printed and sub
n7ffrnr = r,fz
lions which the delegates represented,
but Delegates Knight and Benham ar
gued that this would be dangerous and
moved that the resolutions be thrown
out
RACE. NOT CLASS QUESTION
knight said that the matter was
question Of race and not of class and
that the greatest handicap with which
the league had had TO contend was the
impression that the league was com
posed Of labor men working out merely
q local problem. Benham argued that
the object Of the league is TO secure
national legisis ton for the exclusion
of The Asiatics, and that 10 make a
focal question of il would interfere
with the propaganda in the east.
j. D. Graham. who drafted the resO-
lutiOns said that 10000 japanese Sc
cured admission into this country un-
Ger the classification Of merchants. who.
after arriving, We're low price Iaborers.
and that $4,000 worth Of brushes alone
came into this port last year from
Japan lie said that he would prefer
ms resolutions to he given to the labor
examinations q for discussion, but it was
hnally decided that the league could
not give their Endorsement to a bow
cott Of any kind
A Bacius, secretary of the Seattle
branch OF the Asiatic exclusion league.
spoke OF the work done in the north
west, and George d. Behan's motion
was carried to adjourn in respect 10
the memory Of Washington. the father
OF his country, who warned the nation
against entangiing and embarrassing
relations with other nations. who
greatly assisted in demonstrating the
ability of this American nation TO leg-is
late Tor itself and 10 protect its in
terests after so doing. and who never
used his presidential influence against
the passage Of state laws desired by
the people Of any state or states"