The San Francisco call., 1909-02-09
SENATE DISCUSSES
JAPANESE QUESTION
TiIInan Declares the Country
Should Show More Grit and
Less Subseryiency
Says Perkins Hit With big
Stick" and Now Entitled to
Ananias Membership
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

! WASHINGTON. Feb. S.-The senate
today in executive session discussed
the japanese question, and, as usual
the confidential expressions of sena-
tors soon became pubic. Senator Till.
man was the most outspoken. He
said:
If this country showed more grit
and less subserviency there would not
| be so much talk of a Japanese. situa-
ton. There is no power in the fed
| eral government to interfere with the
administration of state affairs In Cali
| fornia or anywhere else and the pres
sure brought to bear upon California
two years ago and again at this time
is uncalled for and unwarranted. The
diplomatic arrangement entered into
with Japan while Mr.. Root was secre-
tary of state is hairsplitting agree
ment intended to deceive the American
people.
Il see by the morning papers that the
senior senator from California (Mr.
Perkins) has not only been given a
certificate in the Ananias club, but has
been hit over the head with the big
stick in a wanton and indecent assault
from the White House"
Perkins said he had not been asked
by the president to participate in any
upon the Japanese situation and could
not understand why the president
should intimate that he tried to stir
up sentiment in California against ef-
forts Of the president. He defended
his position in regard to the building
program of the navy.
Senator Flint defended his coIleag
against the attack by the president.
Flint denied that he himself had been
made the ambassador extraordinary in
the Japanese matter by the president.
He said the president had requested
him to act as intermediary between him
and the California legislature, but he
had declined to be drawn into it until
he received kilograms from his constit-
uents and members of the legislature
asking for his views on the situation.
He made it clear that he did not ap-
prove Of the presidents criticism of
Perkins.
Senator Teller decried the possibility
of war with Japan. He said California
and Colorado could handle an army of
invasion on the Pacific coast. He said
the idea of war was a source of amuse-
ment rather than cause for serious con-
sideration. 1t was absurd to think that
Great Britain would ever ally itself
with Japan in any war upon the
United States.
NehldnuS advocated general leBlSld-
ton excluding all but white people
from the United States He said this
could only be accomplished by legisla-
ton and not by diplomatic agreements.
The Senator's Explanation
In 1893" he explained, II became a
member OF the senate naval affairs
committee. At that time we did not
have single battleship in commission,
and very few first class cruisers. To-
day we have 81 battleships in COM
mission and FIVE in course OF construc-
ton in addition to the fleet of first
class cruisers, torpedo boatsh and other
modern vessels of war.
The appropriation of 1898 was only
$23.000.000 for the support and build
ing of the navy and everything else.
The naval bill now pending in the
In 1898 We had but $4,000 sailors
and marines. Today we have about
5000 sailors and marines.
Il have voted for every increase in
the naval appropriation that has come
before the committee with the excep-
tion of the last proposal to build four
battleships in one year, which L did not
thing eXpedient, believing it the part
Of wisdom and wise business policy to
profit by our own experience and the
mistakes in naval construction of other
countries.
"As verifcation of what I say, /
would refer to the Congressional Rec
ord, which records every vote for and
against any pending measures