The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-02-11
ROUsEs PRESIDENT
California's Anti-Jap Law
Offensive, He Says.
WANTS IT KNOCKED OUT
Expresses Belief That Measure segre.
eating Japanese and White Chill
dren in Public Schools lie Unconsti-
tutlonal-Asks Veto by Governor.

Sacramento, Cal, Feb. 5.-With the
defeat in the lower house yesterday ol
the anti-Japanese measures, foho we'd
by the unexpected passage of third
bill segregating japanese school chill
| dren In separate schools along with
Chinese, Koreans and other Asiatics
regarded as the most offensive meas
ure of all, President Roosevelt, again
has taken a hand in the anti-Ja anese
legislation that for the last wees has
drawn international attention 10 Cali
fornia.
Hardly had the bill been passed by
the assembly before Gov. Gillett re-
ceived the following message from the
president:
Washington, Feb. 4, 1907. ~
Glllett, governor of California;: In your
kind letter just received what is the
rumor that the California legislature
has passed a bill excluding the Jap.
anese children from the public
schools? This is the most offensive
bill of all, and in my judgment is
clearly unconstitutional and We
should at once have to test 1t in the
courts. Can 1t be stopped in the legis
la ure or by veto?
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Governor Answers Message.
The governor at once sent reply,
the nature of which he declines at this
time to make public, and he requested
from the president an immediate an
swer. Pending the receipt of anothe.
telegram from President Roosevelt.
Gov Gillett declined last night to dis.
cuss the action of the assembly yes.
terday
The bill passed yesterday which
was one of three anti-Japanese meas.
ures introduced by Assemblyman Grove
l.. Johnson, places the Japanese in the
same classification with other Asiatics
an! inserts the word Japanese" in
the present state statute providing for
the segregation in separate schools of
Monaghan" children.
by this action the lower house Of
the California legislature has taken
the step which the board of education
Of San Francisco intended to take two
years ago, but which was abandoned
after the board and former Mayor Eu-
gene E. Schmitz were called TO Wash.
Ing on and had several conferences
with President Roosevelt.
Not orientals, Say Japs.
At that time it was contended by the
Japanese that they were not Orient
ais and they resented the efforts to
place them in the same class with the
Chinese, Koreans and other Asiatlc
races. The question was also raised
whether, under the law, the segrega-
tion of Japanese school children could
be enforced in the absence of specific
mention of the word Japanese"
Upon the return of the delegation
from Washington the San Francisco
school board contented itself with the
adoption of rule limiting the age Of
pupils that would be permitted to at.
tend the lower grades of the public
schools, one of the principal objections
to the Japanese being that adults were
attending the primary grades and In
daily association with white children
Of tender years.
Unexpected was the passage of the
Japanese school segregation bill. After
the defeat Wednesday of Drew's anti
alien land bill, which was generally be-
lieved to foreshadow the rejection Of
all the measures aimed at the Japa-
nese. The defeat OF two more anti.
Japanese bills added to the surprise
occasioned by the vote on the school
segregation bill.
Governor Calls Conference.
Immediately upon learning of the
assembly's action, Gov. Gillett called
into conference Speaker Philip Stan.
ton and the Republican leaders of
both houses OF the legislature. The
latter expressed the hope of still be
ing able to defeat the measure in the
assembly upon reconsideration, and It
was with this in view that Assembly
man Weller Leeds of Los Angeles.
after roll cali, changed his vote from
no TO yes and gave notice that to-day
he would move to reconsider the vote
of AS to 2G by which the bill was
passed
Il win require Al votes to carry
Leeds motion. In the event that It Is
adopted il was freely predicted last
night that one Of the fiercest battles
ever waged in the California legisla-
ture win result in the effort to kin the
bill
Nevada Resolution Held Up.
Carson, New, Feb. 5.-The Gihen
anti-Japanese resolution, shorn of its
reference toPresident Roosevelt, came
up in the senate yesterday and was
referred to the judiciary committee. z
IS said this committee OF which Sena-
tor Boyd is chairman, will smother 1t
in accordance with the wishes of Uni
ted States senators Nixon and New
lands.