Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-27

| commenced to enforce it and abide by it's pro-
| visions, and is now carrying out its terms.
The correspondence leading up to this
| agreement was shown to me by Secretary Root
l one year ago this winter, when I was in
| Washington, and since that time his office has
forwarded to me reports showing that the Jap
) anese government was complying with its part
\ of the contract.
j As Counted by Japanese
j The Japanese foreign office reports that dur
ing December, 1908, 126 Japanese left Japan
for the mainland of the United States, of
whom sixty-two were returning emigrants or
i relatives, and that ia Japanese left Japan
j for Hawaii. of whom 151 were returning emil
i grants relatives.
i 1t is further stated in such report that
i Sl2 Japanese returned to Japan from the
mainland of the United States during De-
age; and that 100 Japanese returned to Japan
4 from Hawaii, of whom 1S3 were in the steer
4 age.
i In the month Of December the Japanese
/ leaving the United States for Japan exceeded
those leaving Japan for the United States
by 6Ss.
No laborer of japan can leave his country
| without a passport and under the agree
ment with Japan it will not issue a pass
port to any laborer to come to Hawaii or the
| mainland of the United States.
Claims Made by Japan
japan claims to have the matter we'll in
hand; that no Japanese laborers are coming
| to this country, and that many are leaving.
| On the other hand, it is contended that the
Japanese population in this state is gradually
increasing, but know of no figures showing
this to be true.
Today the relations existing between the
United States and Japan are very friendly.
Both are great powers among the nations
Of the world. Both stand In a position, geo
graphically, to dominate and control the COM
merce Of the Pacific.
Acting together, they can dictate the poll
cIes which other nations must pursue in the
Far East and can preserve peace there.
AS friendly allies, many benefits will inure
| to both nations, and a great commerce can
De carried on between them to the advantage
OF our people; but enemies, the commerce
Of both can be driven from the ocean.
| Every reason, therefore, exists why there
| ernment the most friendly relations, and it
| is the expressed wish of each nation that
| this shall be do.
| Approaching this friendship and their COM
munity of interests, both nations have at
| tempted amicably to settle by an agreement
| the question of immigration, and Japan is now
| endeavoring to carry out its part
Tells What State Should Do
If the agreement does not go far enough;
| that is if classes other than those enumer-
ated therein should have been included, then
our government should make that fact known
to Japan, and ask to have them included
| and present its reasons therefor
! If such reasons are good and sufficient then
in all fairness, and with desire to do what
is right, Japan WILL no doubt, consent to the
request made.
| This question of immigration is one that af-
| fects the entire nation we'll as our state
and is one which the federal government
can alone settle. 1t may be settled in two
ways: First, by an agreement between the
two nations, which has been made, or by leg
| islation passed by congress, as was done in
! the case of the Chinese.
If we find that, notwithstanding Japan s
! efforts, her coolie labor continues to pour into
| our state; or-through calling themselves agri-
| culturists-are landing our shores and
settling in our cities; or leasing and purchas-
| ing our valuable agricultural lands, and
! changing white settlements to Japanese to the
| detriment Of this state and its citizens then
! it is plain duty to call the attention of
| our government to the facts, and petition
| 1t to take such prompt action as may be
| proper, and by agreement with Japan or
| by legislation If necessary, to remedy con-
| ditions.
Congress Then Will Act
If our complaints are just they will be taken
| up by congress and acted upon.
| While the settlement of the questions Of i'm
| migration are pending should do no act
| to embarass those in authority at Washington
| thereby making their task more difficult.
| We should be very careful about passing
any legislation not absolutely necessary for
our immediate protection, intended solely to
affect the japanese people being lawfully
| among us, because in so doing make the
| task which we expect our government to
i perform harder to accomplish, and such Iegis-
| lation at the best can only tend to widen
the breach between Japan and our country
and cause feeling of msgiving and dstrust
to exist.
We must remember also that no law that
this state can enact will stop japanese i'm
| migration
Congress alone is vested with authority to
pass such legislation. And we must also
recognize the fact that the Japanese among
us are subjects of a friendly nation and are
entitled TO the treatment under our
| laws and to the same privileges and immu-
| mites guaranteed to the subjects of
| the most favored nations.
| Japan's treaty with government guar
antees to them this right and, as citizens of
them. There can not be one law for the sub
jects of Japan and another one for the citi-
zens Of England.
Gets Around to Legislation
This brings me to consideration Of some
OF the bills now pending before you and which
already have caused mush discussion and
alarm in both countries.
If you believe the general policy of this
state and its future development demands
that all aIiens-that is, citizens of other conn
! tries-should be discouraged in making in
vestments here, and that no alien should be
permitted to become the owner in fee simple
| of any lands within this state-agricultural
grazing or mineral, or of any city property
for the purposes Of trade commerce. or manu-
tacturing-then enact a law forbidding the
| same, but see to it that it affects the slIh-
jects Of all nations alike and that under its
provisions the citizens of Japan shall have
equal privileges with those of England and
other favored nations otherwise you might
create situation which may prove to be
embarrassing to the federal government.
! Mr.. Drew's bill might be so amended but
in its present form it clearly, as no doubt
| was intended, discriminates against the citi-
ZenS of China and Japan
| Whether any bill should pass at this time
| which viii discourage foreign capital from
seeking investments in state is a most
| serious question and not lightly to be
! considered. But that is a question 1 leave
! for you to solve.
Another Objectionable Bill
Another bill which you have under consd-
Grafton, and which has been classed as anti
| Japanese legislation, is a bill providing that
no alien shall be a director in any corpora
| ton created under the laws of this state.
| This bill applies to all aliens, as it should
! if it is to be enacted into law.
How many citizens OF foreign countries will
tions for mining, transportation, commerce,
manufacturing banking, or any other bus-
| Ness, If they cannot be directors so as to
be able to handle their own money and di-
1 rect the business in which they engage?
| What injury is the state now suffering by
| reason of Japanese directors; or what injury
| can it suffer by those who may hereafter be-
come directors in a corporation, which will
| justify law that citizen of any foreign
country can become a director of corpora tions
| created under the laws of this state, though
he may own the controlling interest in it?
| What public necessity, anyway, exists for
such law? 1t is a very pertinent question,
and one which should be most satisfactorily
answered by its proponent.
And Still Another One
Another measure which is clearly intended
to reach the Japanese is one which gives to
municipalities the right to set apart certain
limits in which undesirable persons are to
reside
| II ie 49,, ,,,--ozu -.