Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
GILLETT GETS
EXPLANATION
OF PRESIDENT
PROMISED LETTER ARRIVES
FROM WHITE HOUSE
ROOTS MEMORANDA DFSSECT
ANTI-JAPANESE BILLS
Secretary of State Prescribes Legis-
Iation Possible Without Conflict
with Treaties-court De-
cisions Cited
Continued from Page onel.

Continued from Page Onel
of land by aliens: The observations
which L have made regarding assem-
bly, bill II apply in substance to this
act.
LAS bearing on both acts I trans
NIT herewith a copy of telegraphic cor
respondence between the governor Of
California and myself, consisting of j
telegram from the governor dated Sat
urday last, and my reply of this morn
ing.
In my reply you will perceive that
| suggest the insertion of a clause for
any legislation regarding the holding
of land by aliens which will preserve
their treaty rights, and that L also re-
fer to some of the decisions of the
supreme court on the subject.
Assembly Amendment
Assembly bill IA, entitled can act
to amend 1862 of the political CODE:
This bill aims to reproduce in the
form which created so much natural
resentment on the part of Japan two
years ago the specific discrimination
against Japanese in the schools.
1t was by securing the abandon
ment of this discrimination on the
part of the San Francisco school board
that the national government was en-
abled to bring about the informal
agreement or arrangement with Japan
under which the two countries are
now harmoniously and successfully
preventing the immigration of jap
anese laborers to this country.
Ihe essential feature of this ar
rangement is the adoption by Japan
or a series of strict and effective reg
ulat1onS determined after full consul
tation and discussion with the govern
ment of the United States, preventing
the issue of passports for the United
states TO Japanese 1aborers.
=, AT the same time the president. in
tne exercise Of power especially con-
ferred upon him by congress as mart
OF the arrangement, prevents the in
dlrect immigration of Japanese who do
not carry passports for the United
states from the Japanese government.
Would End Arranqemen:
If this bill were to be passed that
arrangement with the Japanese gov
ernment would necessarily come to an
immediate end. The people of the
state of California have to consider
not the question of. whether thew will
nave the present arrangement through
Wn1cn japanese are now being excIud-
eI plus such legislation as this. but
whether they will substitute this 1egis-
iatlon for the exclusion of Japanese
laborers.
I can see that no doubt what the
people OF California would sacrifice by
tne enactment of this act would CON
sidering their own interests alone he
OF far greater value and Importance
than the legislation itself.
The exclusion of Asiatic Iaborers
through the cooperation of their own
government, has, in the case Of China.
proved to be far more successful and
satisfactory than would the exclusion
without the aid of the government bv
the simple enforcement Of a statute on
this side Of the Pacific.
" The same would inevitably be +be
case with Japan. No exclusion ACT
passed by congress would be so eff
Gent as the present arrangement. and
IL would be accompanied inevitably nv
III feellng and resentment, the cOnse-
quence Of which would be of the most
serious character.
Cites School Board Case
" I may observe that the experience
of the San Francisco school board that
there was no occasion whatever for
any such legislation, for the regulation
: winch they adopted as substitute
for the discriminating regulation, as 7
am informed by them, proved entirely
satisfactory and effective to accom-
pl1sh all that they wished to accomplish
by the discriminatory regulation.
Viewing in a larger aspect the re-
ldtlons of California to the rest of the
Union, it is difficult to find words
strong enough to characterize the vio-
!ation Of patriotic duty which would be
involved in a causeless and obiectless
enactment constituting a serious af-
front to friendly nation and certain
to plunge the entire Union into tha
doubtful conditions of enmity to q
great and hitherto most friendly power
which is our neighbOr upon the Pa
cific. ELIHTT Root
Has Little to Add
10 this memorandum I have but
little to add. The United States gov
ernment has no objection to the en-
Gctment of a law in California as re-
CARDS the rights of aliens to hold real
estate, provided that the suggestions of
the secretary of state are complied
with as contained in the above memo
randum.
'Such a law would not be in anv
substantial respect different from sim
liar laws that have been passed in
other states
Many foreign countries, including
Japan itself, have similar laws.
But, for the reasons set forth in Mr.
Roots memorandum, the federal gov
ernment would most emphat ticaIlye oh
Ject to the passage of the proposed
school legislation and would also object
TO legislation such as the newspapers
describe as having been proposed to
force the Japanese to live in separate
residential quarters.
IL most earnestly trust that for the
reasons set forth in Mr.. Roots memo
randum, and for the reasons set forth
in my previous kilograms and letter.
none of the Objectionable proposed
legislation will be enacted into law.
with nigh appreciation of your
\ ourtesy, believe me,
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
"Hon. J. n. Gillett, Governor of Cali
fornia, Sacramento, Cal"