The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-23
COCHRAN SAYS
|. ALIENS MENACE
PEACE OF STATE
New York Representative Says
Growth of Alien Race En-
dangers American Peace
House Adopts Navy Program
After Radical Speech on
Effect of Exclusion

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.zThe most
radical views of the japanese question
heard in the house for some time were
uttered by Cochran of New York dur
ing the discussion of the naval appro-
priation bill.
Discussing the conditions in the west
Cochran said:
You have on the Pacific coast today
two races, one of which won't acknowl-
edge inferiority and the other won't
acknowledge equality. That the alien
race is growing in numbers some be-
leive."
DANGER TO AMERICAN PEACE
Everybody. he said, could conceive
that its growth meant danger to Amer
lean peace. He called attention to the
presidents recommendations for peace
full methods by which the excess of
Japanese may be prevented.
Sir he exclaimed. he may succeed
or he may not, but there is the one
ominous fact-he can not induce the
other government to sign a treaty of
exclusion, and if this quiet method of
preventing the influx of this race to our
shores proves Intellectual. there is moth
Ing left but an exclusion act
Every one, he declared. knew that
the passage of an exclusion act would
be accepted as a hostile act by that
country.
Sir Cochran said. I'VE have seen
what follows when that government
considers an act hostile. 1t justified
the breaking off of negotiations, but |
do not believe that even under those
circumstances the Japanese government
would make war upon us"
He specialized, however, on what
might happen should the anti-Japanese
feeling, which, he said, was unconquer-
able, take the form that it took against
the Italians at New Orleans.
DO you think" he inquired, the
Japanese In Tokyo would allow that
to pass without reprisals on Americans
in Japan? If you do" he added, you
never have visited that country
He said that the Japanese had but
one feeling and that was love OF coun-
try Outrage that lover' he exclaimed,
land reprisals will follow"
Exactly as reported by the commit
tee, the naval program for the fiscal
year 1910 was adopted and the naval
appropriation bill was passed.
The opponents of the navy increase
feature found themselves in a hope
less minority in the house. The only
vital alteration made in the measure
was the striking out of provisions re-
storing marines to. naval vessels. The
aggregate amount appropriated by the
bill is 100000.
President UCges Patience
WASHINGTON. Jan. 22.-Ex-Mayor
Phelan of San Francisco today had a
talk with President Roosevelt about
the anti-Japanese agitation in Cali
fornia Phelan told the president the
people of California were insistent that
some steps be taken In some way to
curb Japanese immigration.
The president said he considered the
recent agreement reached with Japan
to be a long step toward the settle
ment of all difficulties: that it would
be too bad to have that work over
thrown when there is a chance at an
early date this government may take
some further steps along the same
peaceful lines.
Phelan suggested that it might be
well for the legislature OF California
to appoint a committee to look into
the whole Japanese question in Cali
fornia and report to the next session
of the legislature to be held two years
from now.
The president seemed to think this
idea a good one, and possibly the sug-
gestion will be made in some form or
other to this session of the legislature.
Japan Reduces War Fund
Tokyo. Jan. 22.-The budget COM
mittee of the diet yesterday afternoon
listened to statements from various
members of the cabinet regarding the
plans for economy of expenditure
which the government has mapped out.
In accepting the suggestion that the
premier had postponed expenditures
amounting TO 107,Oo0,O0Q yen, Viscount
Terauchi.e the secretary of war. said
that this department was endeavoring
TO decrease expenditures. Terauchi
laughingly added:
I'VE are doing this because it is de-
sirable to disabuse the mind of the
world of the idea that Japan is per-
sisting In warlike preparations
Vice Admiral Makoto Saito said that
decreases amounting to nearly 9,0OO,-
900 yen were made in the department of
marine. of which he is secretary. He
asserted that it was absolutely neces-
sary for Japan to maintain standard
navy, but that the financial condition
of the country made the present econ
omies unavoidable.