Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-05
GO SLOW G|L[[|1
WARNS LEGISLATURE
California Governor Urges Re
consideration OF Vote on Jap
School Bill
HEARkENs TO ROOSEVELT
AEARkENs TO ROOSEVELT
Teid That Bill Is Most Objectionable
Of All, Governor Gets Busy in Effort
!, TO Stay Hands Of Radical Lawmakers
] Points Out That Japs Have Equal
Rights With Others.

Gislett sent the following special mes
sage bearing on japanese legislation te
the senate and assembly today:
Gentlemen Believing there should
be further and more careful considera-
tion Of assembly bill No. IA, which pro-
vides that boards of school trustees
shall have power to establish separate
schools for the, children of the Japan
ese, and that thereafter they shall not
be admitted into any public school, and
futher believing that the enactment OF
the provisions Of said bin will, at this
time, affect the interests of the entire
nation, and perhaps seriously, l mos'
respectfully request you to reconsider
the vote by which said bill was passed
and take the matter up for further
most careful consideration.
"Within few hours after the passage
Of said bill, the president Of the United
States, alarmed at the possible conse-
quences of the enactment of such law
sent to, me telegram containing the
following language:
"'This is the most offensive bin of all
and in my Judgment is clearly uncon-
stftutional, and we shall at once have
to test it in the courts. Can it not be
stopped in the legislature or by
veto?'"
Urges Legislature to Go Slow.
sThe telegr;lm-so forcible as this
coming from the president Of the
United States, is entitled to full con-
sideration and demands that no hasty
or ill-considered action be taken by this
state which may involve the whole
country. It seems to me it Is time to lay
sentiment and personal opinion and
other considerations aside and take
broad, unprejudiced view of the I'M
portant questions involved in the pro-
posed legislation, and in q calm, dis
passionate manner pass upon them
keeping in mind not only the interests
Of our state, but of the nation as vel
and the duty we owe to 1t in observing
tn treaties entered into by it with q
friendly power
The governor calls attention to the
protest of japan against the resolution
of the San Francisco school board OF
two years ago, directing that orientals
s. be compelled to attend their own
schools and the action Of the federal
government in commencing suit TO
have the order rendered nugatory. This
suit was dismissed when1 the school
board withdrew the offensive resolu-
tion. The governor declares there IS
no present danger to the California
schools by reason of the attendance OF
Japanese pupils, so far as Is known.
Without expressing any opinion there
upon. the governor quotes the treaty
guaranteeing to Japan the rights and
privileges of most favored nations.
Children Have Rights.
The governor points out that the
children Of all European nations are
granted the privilege Of attending the
public schools Of California, and that
the state law makes compulsory the
attendance Of all resident children.
whether Of aliens or citizens
't1f the state grants certain prlvil-
eges to citizens of one foreign country,
the governor says, "it cannot deny
them to the subjects Of another having
the same rights by treaty" In con-
clusion he says:
az most respectfully submit this mes
sage to you with the full hope and
belief that when final action shall be
taken nothing will be done which can
be the subject Of criticism by the
people Of this nation, and that no law
will be enacted which will be in con-
trayention with the constitution or any
treaty Of the United States"
The house. unanimously postponed
action on the school bill, until We'd
nesday.