New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-01-21
VIOLATE NATIONS WORD
CONCERN OYER 4NTI-J4P-
.1NESF BILLS.
Enactment Of California Measures
Night Cause 4brogation Of 4 gree
ment zcith MibddO.
KENYON cox.
From The Tribune Bureau. !


Washington. Jan. .D.-The President. the Sec
retarv o5Jstate and the members of the Com
mitt-G on Foreign Relations are gravely con-
cerned over the possibility Of the enactment Of
the anti ia panese legislation now pending be-
fore the California Legislature. The agitation
I'm favor of such anti-Japanese enactments at
this time is regarded as peculiarly unfortunate.
for the efforts Of the national administration TO
prevent the immigration Of Japanese laborers
have just been crowned with success. while
there i- every evidence that the japanese gov-
ernmeut has not only kept faith. but that it has
worked assiduousIy to accomplish this end.
During the six months ending with last octo-
her the total number Of Japanese coming 10 this
country amounted to 2O74 while 21S1 left this
country for Japan in the same period. In the
month Of November 1901 the japanese coming
f. this country numbered LILO. while those
coming in September. 1908. numbered only 1872.
other figures could be cited to show how com
pieteIy the Japanese government has kept the
faith and those statesmen who are especially
interested in the foreign relations OF this coun-
tr,. rc,ard II as little short Of humiliatns that
n single state should violate the implied troth
Of the entire nation.
Moreover. it is regarded as fooihardy |" lne
last degree for California to attempt to enact
LEGISLATION If the character now pending; such
M
confr,. Chinese and Japanese within certain
prescribed localities in the cities and forbidding
their becoming land owners or directors OF cor
noratious There is no treaty which limits the
number of Japanese who may come to this
countrv II is merely what is termed "a gentle
man. agreement Such treatment Of japanese
subjects may result in an abrogatlon OF tia'
agreement and thus undo all the work Whlch the
administration and the state Department have
ACCOMPLISHED with such careful and painstaklng
effort
OF course Japan has made no belligerent rep
presentations to this country, as has been as
serted by certain exaggerating correspondents
but the situation has in the past been 50 care
fuiIv outlined and so thoroughly studied by the
officials of the administration and by Senators
that l. IS appreciated that the enactment of the
r,ron,sef1 legislation will render it almost i'm
nossibie for the japanese administration to
adhere to it's present policy. You cannot have
a permanent peace with insult policy, said
prominent student of the situation. and none
Of those who have given the subject careful
consideration views the situation in any other
light.
The President, az has been told. made recently
an eloquent appeal to the members OF the Meth
odst Church to support him in his EFFORTS 10 pre-
serve not only peace, but the cordial relations
which now exist with Japan, by exerting their
influence against the pending California legfsla-
tion The Executive and some OF his closest ad-
visers as we'll as leading Senators. regard as
incomprehensible the failure of the various
neace societies to turn their attention to az use
r;II a work as there is now to be done IN Cali
forna-the education of public sentiment untii
all intelligent Californians appreciate the re-
sponsibiIity which rests upon them.
The utmost confidence is expressed In these
circles that if the people of California once re-
allied the true situation, the effort which the
administration has been making TO relieve them
Of the burden which their position as the gate
,,av of the Pacific has imposed upon them and
the good faith of the Japanese government in
its co-oDeration with the United States. they
,rould rebuke those petty statesmen who are
entity of what the President has termed ash
barrel politics.
II is realized that local statesmen may acquire
q certain degree of popularity from fatherins
.anti-Iapsnese legislation, long as their con-
ettt,e,ts are not Informed of the real situation,
information regarding which may not reach
tbe,o with facility because of the attitude of a
large ,ortion of the press of their state. but it is
suggested that the peace societies would be
doing far more effective work If they would de-
vote their attention to a propaganda of this
character instead of solemnly meeting and
Continued on second page
oEwsY,s OLD MADEIRA OR SHERRY