Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-20
ANl-JAP LAW HELD Up
President Succeeds in Effort to
Halt Objectionable Legis-
Iation
THE WIRES ARE KEPT BUSY
Text of RooseveIt's Letter to Governor
GiIIett Made Public-coast Anxiously
Awaits Its Receipt-Ris Stick Weld
ed Against the Agitators.

| Washington, Jan. 20. - President
Roosevelt has succeeded in holding up,
temporarily, at least, the anti-Japanese
measures pending before the California
legislature.
This news, developed both here and
on the coast, sheds flood of new light
on the presidents public demand, en-
bodied in his own phrase of "a square
deal for Japan
The obstacle which the federal exec
utive has succeeded in opposing to the
Drew and Johnson bills at Sacramento
is until letter, following telegram
from the White House, can cross the
continent and receive consideration.
But for the time being the block is eff
fective.
President Roosevelt asked the gov
ernor Of California to take steps to
have all anti-Japanese legislation held
up until the president could be heard
in the matter. In a telegram this re-
quest was embodied and a letter Is
enroute to Sacramento which will give
the federal executives views and
wishes.
Governor Gillett of California, re-
sponded to the president in the fol-
lowing dispatch:
Telegram received. Have caused
bills to be held up until ! can hear
from you. Copies of bills introduced
affecting Japanese together with briefs
on same mailed to you"
Presidents Plea for the Japs.
Following is the text of President
Roosevelt's letter to Governor Gillett,
now being carried westward as fast as
the government mail service permits:
My Dear Governor: am greatly
concerned over the anti-Japanese bills
which are apparently going thru or are
on their way thru the California leg
islature.
"They are in every sense most I'M
fortunate. AT last we have in first
class working order the arrangement
which with such difficulty we sue
ceeded in getting thru two years ago.
The Japanese government are obvious
ly acting in entire good faith.
During the six months ending Oct.
81 last the total number of Japanese
who have come to the mainland of the
United States has been 2,014, and the
total number who have left has been
1881 In other words, the whole OBJ
ject nominally desired by those who
wish to prevent the incoming Sof Jap
anese laborers. has been achieved.
More Japanese are leaving the
country than are coming in, and hy
ind in few the
number of japanese here will be no
greater than the number of Americans
in Japan: that is, the movement will
be as normal in one case as in the 9TH
err. which is just what we desire.
There is, therefore, no shadow of
excuse for action which will simply
produce great irritation and may re-
suit in upsetting the present agreement
and throwing open the whole situation
again.
Big Stick for Agitators.
"These agitators have themselves to
thank if trouble comes from what they
do, If there is fresh influx Of Japan
csc hither. They hamper the national
government in what it has now so eff
ficient1y accomplished-the agreement
by peaceful means, and thru the friend
ly initiative of the Japanese govern
ment, to keep Japanese immigrants out
of the United States save as Ameri-
cans themselves visit Japan.
"Is it not possible to get the leg
islature to realize the great unwisdom
from the standpoint of the country at
large, and above all from the stand
point of California, of what is being
done? Sincerely yours,
"TIEODORE ROOSEVELT"
,A1tho denial is made at the state de-
partment and at the Japanese embassy
that any formal protest has been made
to this government against proposed
anti-Japanese legislation in California,
vet it is realized that the question is
causing considerable concern both in
this country and in Japan.
The japanese embassy is watching
the progress of the legislation in Cal
ifornia with great interest.
Coast Awaits Presidents Letter
r4y To1, a