Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-02-10
"A -ANTI-JAPANESE LEGISLATION.

The California Legislature has run
shape OF anti-JapaneSe legislation,
and to-day two of the most import
ant of the numerous measures on
this question are before the Legisla-
ture for discussion and reconSidera-
ton. One of these, already passed
by the House, segregates Japanese in
public schools, while the other en-
powers municipalities to segregate
in residential quarters all "undesira-
Bile aliens whose presence might, in
the opinion of the boards OF supervi-
sors, be inimical to the purpose.
health and morals of the commu>
nifty"
The real import-the absolute ne
cosSity for such measures cannot
now be fully appreciated by many of
the States, and especially the South
ern States, whore as yet there is not
sufficient foreign population to read
lily impress upon the people the OBJ
noXiousness OF the Japanese to Amer
leans. We see occasionally n repre-
sentative of the better Japanese clc-
ment and are favorably impressed
by his appearance. his intelligence.
his cleanliness and his general bear
ing, but from him we acquire moth
ing upon which to base an intclli-
gent opinion of the average Japa-
nose lDllni.TrDn Whn iG pnitn
desirable as a citizen. aS Il ncighbor,
as an "cQuaI." as is the "licathcn
Chincc."
California to-day is facing prob
lem that sooner or later must be
dealt with by every State in the Tn
ion, unless the Federal Government
steps in and passes such stringent
immigration laws that the various
States will be protected by The ma
uonal laws, thus eliminating the ne
cessity for the exercise. by the vari-
Gus States, OF their vested powcrs in
regulating their own affairs for the
best interests OF their citizens.
The proposition to place on a foot
ing OF social equality with the Amer
lean citizen immigrants from any
foreign country save those from
which come the Caucasian races is
unwisc, and wholly rcpugnant to
American people, who as a whole re-
volt at the thought Of it as unani-
mously as do the people Of the South
at the thought of social equality be-
tween the white and colored races.
There is no way to evade the fact
that the white man occupies. and will
continue to occupy, the position OF
leader among all races Of the world.
and to attempt to interfere with this
order OF things, which seems to us
to be part Of the Divine plans. is to
invite trouble and complications, the
ultimate end Of which must bring
serious consequences and disaster
upon the weaker OF the elements con-
cerned
If the action started by the law
making bodies OF California for the
protection OF the. white citizens Of
that State is wrong, or unconStiul-
lonal, or would result in COmDliCa-
tions and a breach of our cordial
diplomatic relations with other coun-
tries, then for certainty the Gene
raj Government at Washington has
fallen short of its duty in not pass
ing, and enforcing, such immigration
laws as will afford ample protection
TO the rights of the American people
"a n whole.
There Is ever a cordial welcome to
the immigrants from all Caucasian
countries. They are not only vel
coined, but they are sought, and
their rights are equal with our own.
But it never has been the case. nor
will it ever be, that other races can
intermingle amicably with the domi-
nant white race on basis of social
or political equality. The PROPOSE
tion Is simply absurd, useless and
vicious