The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-09
An III JAPANE
BILLS VIOLATE
TREATY RIGHTS
-pRESInENT RAnSEVEIT
MISGUIDED MEN ARE FOLLOWING
POLICY WHICH COMBINES Mini
MUM OF EFFICIENCY AND MAX.
iMuM OF INSULT, HE SAYS.
president ROOSEVELT.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Presiden
Roosevelt, In long message I
Speaker Stanton. OF the California a.
sembly. yesterday, sets forth the att
tude OF the federal government on tn
proposed anti-Japanese legislation Il
California. The president declare
the proposed legislation is a clear vic
lation OF the treaty rights of japan
"Thep olicy Of the administration" n
sails, lis TO combine the maximum O
efficiency in achieving the real .bjec
which the people OF the Pacific slop
nave at heart, with the minimum O
friction and trouble, while the mis-
guided men who advocate such actio
as this againstw hich protest ar
following policy which combines tn
very minimum OF efficiency with tn
maximum OF insult
Presidont Roosevelt's message t
Speaker Stanton follows:
Hon. =. A. Stanton. speaker or
the assembly. Sacramento: | trust
there will be no misunderstood
ing OF the federal governments
attitude. We are jealousy en-
deavoring to guard the interests
OF California and OF the entire
west in accordance with the de-
sires of oul western people BY
friendly agreement with Japan we
are now carrying out a policy
which. while not meeting the in
terests and desires of the Pacific
slope, is yet compatible not mere
ly with mutual self-respect, but
with mutual esteem and admins
tration between the Americans
and Japanese.
The Japanese government is
Loyalty and in good faith doing its
part To carry out this policy, pre-
cisely as the American govern
ment in doing. The policy aims at
mutuality of obligation and be-
hayior In accordance with Ii
the purpose is that the Japanese
shall come here exactly as Ameri
cans 20 TO Japan, which Is in eff
feet that travellers. students, per-
sons engaged in international bus
mess, men who sojourn for pleas
ure or study and the like shall
have the freest access from one
country to the other and shall be
sure of the best reatment, but
there shall be no settlement is
mass by the people of either coun-
try in the other.
Number Decreases 1000.
During the last six months un-
der 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 cannot be impeached. In
other words, II the present policy,
consistently followed, works as
well in the future as II is now
working, all difficulties and causes
of friction will disappear, while
at the same time each nation Will
retain its selfrespect and the
good will OF the other.
But such a bill as this school
bill accomplishes literally nothing
whatever in the line of the OBJ
ject aimed at. and given just and
grave causes for irritation, while
I'm addition the United states gov
eminent would be obliged imme-
diately to take action in the fed
eral courts to test such legisla-
ton. as We hold II TO be clearly
violation OF this treaty. On this
point | refer you to the numerous
decisions of the United States su.
preme court In regard to state
laws which violate treaty obliga-
tons OF the United States. The
legislation would accomplish moth.
t..e. 81 a t.ft
ly cause some mischief and might
cause very grave mischief.
Would be an Insult.
In short. the policy of the adj
ministration is to combine the
maximum OF efficiency In achieV-
ing the real object which the peo-
pie OF the Pacific slope have at
heart with the minimum OF fric-
ton and trouble with the mini
mum OF friction and trouble while
the misguided men who advocate
such action as this against which
| protest. are following a policy
which combines. the very mini
mum OF insult and which, while
totally failing TO achieve any real
insult and which, while totally
ldfnHS W any real ltSull
70 rgood, yet might accomplish
an infinity Of harm II in the next
year or two the action OF the fed
eral government fails TO achieve
what IL Is now achieving, then
through the further action OF the
president and congress ii can be
made entirely efficient
! am sure that the sound judg-
ment of the people of California
will support you, Mr. Speaker. in
your effort. Let me repeat that
al present we are actually doing
the very thing which the people
of California wish TO be done. and
10 upset the arrangement under
which this is being done cannot
do good. and may do great harm.
m I'm the next year or two the hg-
ures of immigration prove that
the arrangement which has work
ed 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 national govern
meEt of it's present policy. But at
present the policy is working
well. and until IT works badly II
would be grave misfortune To
change H. and when Schanged II