The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-02-11

Barring japanese From Schools and
Threatens to Call on U. S. Courts
to Decide Legality Of the Proposed
Law.
Washington. Feb. 9. President
Roosevelt declared unequivocally the
administration policy regarding the
entiJapanese school legislation now
before Caliiornias senate The meas
ure proposed. he said. was certain 20
work harm. ard maybe grave harm.
threat 90 use the federal courts To
test the legality OF the legislation now
urged. on account ot the violation Of
the treaty obligations of the United
States. was also Included In the presi.
dents message to Speaker stanton. Of
California. Il reads as follows:
u trust thcro will De NO misuuder-
standing of the federal governments
attitude. We are iealously ondoayor
ing to guard the interest OF California
and of the entire west. in accordance
with the desires of our western people
by friendly agreement with Japan
we are now carrying out a policy
which. while meeting the interests and
desires of the Pacific slope is yet com
patiblc. not merely with mutual self
respect. bat with mutual esteem and
admiration between The Americans
and Japanese
Japan Doing It's Part.
The Japanese government is 10y
ally and Ia good faith doing its part
to carry ont this policy. precisely a
the American government is doing
This policy aims at mutuality OF obli.
CATION and behavior.
"In accordance with il the purpose
is that the Japanese shall come here
exactly as Americans 60 10 Japan
which Is in effect that travellers. stu.
dents. persons engaged in interna
tional business. men who sojourn FOR
pleasure or study and the like S !
have the free access from one country
TO the other. and shall Doe sure of tho
best treatment. hut that there shall be
no settlement i'm mass by the people Of
either country in the other
During the last six months under
this policy more Japanese have left
the country than have come in. and
the total number in the United States
has diminished by more than 200O.
These figures are absolutely accurate
and cannot be impeached.
"In other words. II the present pol
icy is consistently followed. and works
as we'll in the future as it is now work
ing. all difficulties and causes OF fric-
tion will disappear. while at the same
time each nation will retain its self
respect and the good will OF the other
Grave Cause For Irritation.
But such bin as this school bill
accomplishes literally nothing what
ever in the line of the object aimed at.
and gives just and grave cause for ir-
ritation. while in addition. the United
States government would be obliged
to take action in the federal courts to
test such legislation. as we hold 1t 20
be clearly a violation of the treaty.
"On this point | refer you to the
numerous decisions of the United
States supreme court in regard to
state laws which violate treaty obli-
cations of the United States. The
legislation would accomplish nothing
beneficial and would certainly c. Sc
some mischief. and might cause very
grave mischief.
"In short the policy of the admins
tration is to combine the maximum 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 mis-.
guided men who advocate such action
as this against which protest are fol.
lowing a policy which combines the
very minimum of efficiency with the
maximum Of insult. and which. while
totally failing 10 achieve any real re
suit for good. yet might accomplish an
infiinity of harm"