The Democratic advocate., 1909-02-19

anese feeiiAg on the Pacific Coast,
from Dawson City in the Yukon Ter
ritory to Los Angeles in the South,
merely shows that the sentiment is
everywhere. and is not confined to the
laboring classes. Many men of light
and leading are among those who are
most strongly opposed to the Japanese
immigration. and it Is far from correct
to ascribe the present unsatisfactory
state of feeling entirely to labor lead
ers and labor unions These would
of course. naturally oppose the intro
duction of cheap labor in any form
and are bitterly antagonistic to the
crowds OF Greeks, Italians and other
nationalities of southern Europe, who
OF recent years have been finding their
way to California, Oregon, Washington
and British Columbia. But now the
anti-Japanese movement has extended
to other than the wage-earning classes,
and among it's strongest supporters
may be found lawyers, clergymen,
bankers, storekeepers, farmers, fruit
growers, and men of many other vo-
people on the Pacific slope talk openly
and boastingly Of using violence and
outrage to expel the unwelcome ones,
those others are seeking o find some
constitutional means to achieve the
same result
In the Yukon territory and British
Columbia the dislike 10 the japanese,
amounting frequently to positive hat
red, is apparently more intense than
IL is in any of the three Pacific States,
unless. it may be, in some OF the In
terror towns of California. Sacramen-
to, Stockton and San Jose are more
rancorously anti-Japanese than San
Francisco, and smaller towns, Merced,
Fresno, Vacaville ana others, and all
the mining districts, are absolutely
vicious in the expression of sentiments
sayoring strongly of the mob-yiolence
that was not uncommon in the earlier
days of California.
The Chinaman on the coast lives IN
q world of his own, and does not seek
to force himself, his ways, or his so
ciety on his white neighbors With the
Japanese IL is different Where the
japanese In any considerable numbers
have gained q firm ioothold the white
population have had to withdraw. The
habits of life. ideals, and code OF NOR
ality of the Japanese are utterly re-
pugnant to Americans and Canadians,
and In many localities one finds the
women more hostile than the men to
the Mikado's subjects, Women who
employ one or more Chinese in their
households will tell you that they
would not let a Japanese darken their
doors. II Is an interesting and en-
tirely true fact that the Chinaman on
the Pacific Coast hates his Japanese
neighbor with greater intensity than
does the white man. Owing to this
freely expressed sentiment the China /
man has of late gone up considerably
in popular favor, and while the move
ment for Asiatic exclusion Is stronger
than ever II was, II is against the
Japaneses that II is principally direct !
ed.
Even the small bur influential mi |
nority in California who believe that
japanese in large numbers are desir
able and necessary for the proper de
velopment Of the State, admit that AS
semblyman Grove J.. Johnson's bill
for segregating the Japanese In one
quarter of any city by themselves is
a good measure, so far as sanitation
and the morals OF the community are
concerned. In San Francisco and
Sacramento, japanese stores and
lodging houses are scattered all over
these two cities. with the result that
residential property In their vicinity
has decreased in value. While adopt
ing American costume, and, 10 some
extent, food, they are little above the
Chinese in their methods Of life.
When they can get possession OF sew
eral houses together. they turn them
into lodging houses, which are crowd
ed beyond the limits OF deeency and
sanitation. They start eyll-smelling
butcher shops and grocery stores. In
the latter some variety OF rotting fish,
that can be smelled block distant. Is
an inyariable staple that is always In
stock. IL seems TO be q fashionable
dainty. When the fish Is sufficiently
advanced In decomposition, they make
ii into a sauce. which they use with
their rice. And speaking OF rice, they
drink large quantities OF rice brandy,
which is an even more potent intoxi
cant than the "tanglefoot" or Jack
ass" brandy OF native manufacture,
at one time popular in the mining
camps along the Great Mother Lode.
The Chinese as a class are free from
the vice of drink, but japanese are
rather proud of Il than otherwise.
They get very noisy and offensive In
their cups, and as they start restau-
rants and billiard halls In any locality
they frequent these localities soon get
a bad name from the point of view OF
white residents When a crowd OF Jap
anese have been carousing, white wo-
men passing through their locality
after dark are liable 20 insult. There
is, moreover, a peculiar and very Of
fensive odor that hangs about every
locality where Japanese have their
lodging houses, restaurants, billiard
halls, butcher shops, grocery stores,
and so on. II is unmistakable, and
may best be described as IAN ancient
and fish-like smell"
Two years ago San Francisco tried
to exclude Japanese from the public
schools on the grounds OF their bad
moral influence, but the measure was
discarded, owing to the stronghold
most frantic-kind OF appeals from
the national Administration at Wash
ing on. Promises were made. that
President Roosevelt would effect a
settlement of the difficulty in a way
that would be satisfactory to the San
Franciscans and acceptable to the
honor and dignity of the Japanese
government and people. Time has
passed and the position today is worse
than ii was two years ago.
Among Lne IalneTS ana mOLneTS OF
wage-earning families, the feeling
against the admission of Japanese to
the public schools is very strong, and
it is shared by the teachers. This
prejudice, If such It may be called
rests mainly upon the advanced age
of the Japanese, who seek instruction
in the primary and grammar grades.
Nintey per cent. of the Japanese appli-
cants for admission TO the public
schools are young men of from six
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