The Elbert County tribune., 1909-02-11
WARNING NOTE
TO CALIFORNIA
PRESIDENT SAYS MISGUIDED Ac-
TIoN AGAINST JAPAN EN-
DANGERS PEACE.
AGITATION PERILOUS
ADMINISTRATION POLICY WILL
ACHIEVE OBJECT WITH MINI
MUM OF FRICTION.

Washington. - President Roosevelt
in long telegram to Speaker p A.
Stanton of the California Assembly.
sets forth the governments view of
the anti-Japanese school agitation now
before that body.
The telegram to Speaker Stanton
was sent only after a conference with
Senator Flint and Representative
Kahn of California and F. X. Lane OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
1t says:
II trust there will be no misunder-
standing of the federal governments
attitude. We are zealously endeavor-
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 d policy
which, while meeting the interests and
desires of the Pacific slope. is yet
comparable not merely with mutual
self respect, but with mutual esteem
and admiration between. the Americans
and Japanese.
"The Japanese government is Loyalty
and in good faith doing its part to car
ry out this policy. precisely as the
American government is doing. The
policy aims at mutuality of obligation
and behavior.
In accordance with 1t, the purpose
is that the Japanese shall come here
exactly as Americans go to 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, shall
have the freest access from one coun-
try to the other and shall be sure of
the best treatment, but that there shall
be no settlement in 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 over 1000. These
figures are absolutely accurate and
need not be impeached.
In other words If the present policy
is consistently followed and works as
well 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 re-
spect and the good will of the other.
'But such a bill 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
Immediately to take action In the fed
eral courts to test such legislation, as
we hold it to be clearly a violation of
the treaty.
"Of this point refer you to the num-
erous decisions Of the United States
Supreme Court in regard to state laws
which violate treaty obligations in the
United States.
''The legislation would accomplish
nothing beneficial and would certainly
cause some mischief and might cause
very grave mischief In short, the pol
icy of the administration is to combine
the maximum of efficiency in achiev-
ing the real object which the people of
the Pacific slope have at heart, with
the minimum of friction and trouble,
while the misguided man who advo-
Gates such action as this against
which l protest are following
policy which combines the very min
imum of efficiency with the maximum
of insult and which, while totally fail
ing to achieve any real result for good,
yet might accomplish an infinity of
harm.
II am sure that the sound Judgment
of the people of California, will support
you. Mr.. Speaker. in your efforts. Let
me repeat that at present we are actu-
ally doing the very thing which the
people of California wish to be done,
and to upset the arrangement under
which this is being done can do no
good and may do harm.
IF the next year or two the figures
of immigration prove that the arrange
ment which has worked SO successfully
during the last six months is no longer
working successfully. then there would
be ground for grievance, and for the re-
versal by the national government of
its present policy But at present the
policy is working well and until 1t
works badly it would be grave mis-
fortune to change it, and when
changed it can only be changed Of
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