The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-01

In my reply, you VIII pSiSSifc .Hoe
| suggest the insertion OF clause In
any legislation regarding the holding
| of lands by aliens which will save
their treaty rights. AMI that l also
| refer to some of the decisions OF the
| supreme court on the subject.
Assembly II, entitled AN act to
| amend section 1862 of the political
| code. This bill aims to reproduce In
| the form which created so much nat
| liral Resentment on the part of Japa-
| nesc two years ago, the specific dis
l crimination against Japanese In the
schools 1t was by securing the
| abandonment of this discrimination ON
| the part OF the San Francisco school
board that the national government
was enabled to bring about the infor-
nal agreement or arrangement with
| Japan under which the two countries
are now harmoniously and successfully
preventing the coming of Japanese la
borers to this country,
1.-The essential feature Of this ar
rangement Is the adoption by Japan OF
a series Of strict and effective regula-
| tions determined upon full consulta-
ton and decision with the government
Of the United States, preventing the
issue Of passports for the United
States to Japanese laborers. AT the
same time. the president. in the exer-
else OF power especially conferred
upon him by congress as part OF the
arrangement, prevents the indirect I'M
migration of Japanese who do not
carry passports for, the United States
from the Japanese government If this
bill were to be passed, that arrange
ment with the Japanese government
would necessarily come to an immedi-
ate end The people of the state Of
California have to consider not the
question whether they will have the
present arrangement through which
Japanese are now being excluded plus
such legislation as this. but whether
they will substitute this legislation for
the exclusion of Japanese laborers.
''T have no doubt that what the
people Of California would sacrifice by
the enactment of this act would. con-
sidering their own interests alone, be
Of far greater value and Importance
than the legislation itself The exclu-
sion of Asiatic laborers through the
cooperation OF their own government
has, in the case of China, proved to be
than would the exclusion without the
aid of the government by the simple
enforcement of a statute on this side
of the Pacific. The same would inev
itably be the case with Japanese. No
exclusion act passed by congress
would be so efficient as the present ar
rangement, and it would be accompa-
MED inevitably by Ill feeling and re-
sentiment, the consequence Of which
would be of the most serious charac-
ter / may observe that the expert
ence of the San Francisco school board
shows there is no occasion whatever
for any such legislation. for that regu-
lation which they adopt as substitute
for the discriminating regulations, as |
am informed by them. provided en-
tirely satisfactory and effective to ac-
complish all that they wished to ac-
complish by the discriminatory regu-
lation.
"a Viewing in larger aspect the
relations OF California to the rest of
the union it Is difficult TO find words
strong enough to characterize the vio-
lation of patriotic duty which would
be involved in a causeless and object
affront TO a friendly nation and certain
to plunge the entire union into the
doubtful conditions of enmity to a
great and hitherto most friendly
power. which is our neighbor upon the
Pacific.
"'ELIHU ROOT
"To this memorandum, I have but
little to add. The United States has no
objection to the enactment OF a law
In California regarding the rights of
aliens to hold real estate, provided
that the suggestions of the secretary
of state are complied with. as con-
tained In the above memorandum.
Such law would not be In any sub
stantial respect different from similar
laws that have been passed in other
states. Many foreign countries, in
cluding Japanese itself, have similar
laws.
But for the reasons set forth In
Mr.. Roots memorandum. the general
government would most emphatically
object to the passage OF the proposed
school legislation. and would also OBJ
ject to legislation such as the newspa-
pers describe as having been proposed
10 loIce the JdpdueSS 10 lNe III sep
arate residential quarters.
Il most earnestly trust that. for the
reasons set forth In Mr. Roots mem
orandum, and for the reasons set forth
in my previous kilograms and letter.
none of the Objectionable proposed
legislation Will be enacted into law.
with high appreciation of Your
courtesy, believe me. sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
"Hon. ]. n. Gillett, Governor of Cali
fornia. Sacramento, Cal"