Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-02-09
PRESIDENT ON JAP SITUATION
Strong Letter from Chief Executive to
Speaker of California House.
GOVERNMENT SOLVING PROBLEM
Action Proposed by Legislature
Would Create Friction and Ac-
COmplish Nothing, Because
Laws Would he Void.

mum VI tlIlCltnCy IN aCnleNlnE InC real |
object which the people OF the Pacific slope
have at heart with the minimum of friction
and trouble while the misguided men who |
advocate such action as this against which |
l protest are following a policy which com
bines the very minimum OF efficiency with |
the maximum of insult, and which, while |
totally failing to achieve any real result for
good, yet might accomplish an infinlty of |
harm"
In this language today the president In a |
telegram to Speaker p. A. Stanton of the |
California assembly set forth the govern |
ments view of the Japanese school legsla- |
tion now before that body.
The president stated that the bill gives |
grave and just cause for irritation and that |
the government would be obliged immedi- |
ately to take action in the federal courts |
to test such legislation, because It is held |
to be clearly violation of the treaty obli- |
cations of the United States. The telegram |
TO Speaker Stanton was sent only after a |
conference with Senator Flint and Repre- |
sentative Kahn of California and F. X. |
Lane of the Interstate Commerce commits |
sion.
Letter to Speaker stanton.
To Speaker Stanton the president sent the |
following;
II trust there will be no misunderstanding |
of the federal governments attitude. We
are zealously endeavoring to guard the in |
terest of California and of the entire west !
in accordance with the desires of our west |
ern people. BY friendly agreement with
Japan, we are now carrying out policy
which, while meeting the interests and de-
sires of the Pacific slope, is yet compatible
not merely with mutual sef-respect, but
W mi nd aAp A.
tween the Americans and Japanese.
"The Japanese government is Loyalty and
in good faith doing it's part to carry out
this policy, precisely as the American gov
ernment is doing. The policy aims at mu-
tuality Of obligation and behavior.
Provisions of Agreement.
"In accordance with 1t the purpose is that
the Japanese shall come here exactly as
Americans go to japan, which is in effect
that travellers, students, persons engaged in
international business, men who sojourn
for pleasure or study, and the like shall
have the free access from one country to
the other and shall be sure of the best
treatment but that there shall be no settle
ment in mass of the people of either coun-
try in the other. During the last six
months more Japanese have left this coun-
try than have come in and the total num-
Der in the United States has diminished
by over 1000. These figures are absolutely
accurate and cannot be impeaehed In other
words, II the present policy is consistently
followed and works as we'll in the future
as 1t is now working all difficulties and
causes of friction will disappear, while at
the same time each nation will retain its
self respect and the good will of the other
But such a bill this school bill accom-
plishes literally nothing whatever in the
line of the object aimed at and gives just
and grave cause for irritation; while in ad-
dition the United States government would
be obliged Immediately to take action In
the federal courts to test such legislation,
as we hold 1t to be clearly violation of
the treaty.
school Law Would he Void.
"On this point refer you to the numer-
Gus decisions of the United States supreme
court in regard to state laws, which violate
treaty obligations of the United States
| The legislation would accomplish nothing
beneficial and would certainly cause some
mischief and might cause very grave mis-
chief. In short, the policy of the admin
istratlon is to combine the ma axlmum of
efficiency in achieving the real object
which the people of the Pacific slope have
! at heart, with the minimum 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 minimum of efficiency
with the maximum of insult, and which,
while totally falling to achieve any real
result for good, yet might accomplish an
infinity of harm.
IF in the next year or two the action of
a.
what 1t is now achieving, then, through
! the further action of the president and
congress, II can be made entirely efficient
1 am sure that the sound judgment of the
people of California will support you, Mr..
| Speaker in your efforts. Let me repeat
that at present We are actually doing the
very things which the people of California
wish to be done and to upset the arrange
! ment under which this is being done can
| do no good and may do great harm. IT,
in the next year or two the figures of i'm
| migration prove that the arrangement
which was worked so successfully during
! the last six months is no longer working
successfully, then there would be ground
4 for grievance and for the reversal by the
national government of its present policy
But at present the policy is working we'll
and until 1t works badly it would be a
grave misfortune to change it, and when
changed. It can only be changed effectively
by the national government.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
senate Defers Action.
SACRAMENTO. Cal, Feb. s-Only five
senators favored agitation OF the anti-Japa-
nese question when the matter was called
up today by Senator Mark Anthony of San
Francisco. The senate decided by a vote
OF 25 to 8, to defer until next Thursday its
action upon the report of the committee on
executive communications, which advises
against legislation aimed at the Japanese.
Senator J. B. Sanford introduced a Joint
resolution asking congress to include Japa-
nese in the provisions of the Geary exclu-
| sion act
Senator Anthony's bill providing for sub
hitting to the voters at the next state cleo
tion the question OF prohibiting Asiatic i'm
migration was favorsbly reported this morn
ing.
Chinese Score Governments Attitude.
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. s-The reopen