The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-05
WORST OF ALL.
Bill Excluding japanese FROM
California Schools
Is Severely Condemned by Presl-
dent Roosevelt.
1T WAS A SURPRISE
In View of the Legislature s
Previous Action.
Strenuous Efforts to Be Made to
Stop 1t.

SIOp He
Sacramento Feb. 5-With the defeat
in the lower house of two of the anti
Japanese measures. followed by the un-
expected passage of a third bill seq
regatiny Japanese school children IN
separate schools along with Chinese
Koreans and other Asiatics. regarded
as the most offensive measure of ALL
President Roosevelt again has taken
hand in the anti-Japanese legislation
that for the last week has drawn inter-
national attention to California. The
bill passed was one of three anti-Jap-
anese bills introduced by Assem- blyman
Grove L. Johnson, and places the Jap
anese in the same classification with
other Asiatics and inserts the word
Japanese in the present state statute
providing for the segregation in sepa-
rate schools Of Oriental children BY
this action, the lower house of the Call
fornia legislature has taken the step
which the board of education of San
Francisco intended to take two years
ago, but which was abandoned after
the board and former Mayor Eugene E
Schmitz, were called to Washington
and had several conferences with Presi-
dent Roosevelt. At that time it was
contended by the Japanese that they
We're not "Orientals'' and they resented
the efforts to place them in the same
class with the Chinese, Koreans and
other Asiatic people. The question was
also raised whether under the law the
segregation of Japanese school children
could be enforced in the absence of
specific mention of the word jap
anese."
Upon the return of the delegation
from Washington the San Francisco
school board contented itself with the
adoption of a rule limiting the age of
pupils that would be permitted to at
tend the lower grades of the public
schools. one of the principal objec
tion to the Japanese being that ad-
ults were attending the primary
grades and in daily association with
white children of tender years.
1t Was Unexpected.
Unexpected was the passage of the
After the defeat of Drew's anti-a1ien
land bill which was generally be-
lieved to foreshadow the rejection of
all the measures aimed at the Japan
ese. the defeat of two more anti
japanese bills added to the surprise
Occasioned by the vote on the school
segregation bill. Immediately upon
learning of the assembly's action
Governor Gillett called into consulta-
tion Speaker Philip Stanton and the
Republican leaders of both houses of
the legislature. The latter expressed
the hope of still being able to defeat
TeCOnS1d6raIlOn
and it was with this in view that
Assemblyman Leeds of Los Angeles,
after roll call. changed his vote from
no to yes, and gave notice that he
would move to reconsider the vote of
as to 26 by which the bill was
passed.
1t will require Al votes to carry
Leeds motion. In the event that it
is adopted 1t is freely predicted that
one of the farcest battles ever waeed
In he al frT-r1 10 loo ris-I,
suit in the effort to kill the bill
Mr.. JohnsOn's other bills prohibiting
aliens from being members of boards
of directors and restricting them in
residence districts at the option of
boards of supervisors were defeated
the former by a vote of fifty-four to
fifteen. The latter measure failed of
passage because of a tie vote. the
friends of the bill being unable to mus
ter the required Al votes. Roll call
finally stood 81 to 81 after a call of
the house and several changes from a
yea to nay and vice versa There was
little support for the corporation
measure, the votes for the bill falling
thirteen short of the number cast for
the Drew bill.
The Segregation Bill.
The principal debate was upon the
residential segregation bill. Many who
voted against the land and corporation
measure announced that they favored
segregation of undesirable aliens be-
Il
legislation. Shortly after the disposal
of the Johnson bill Mr.. Drew moved
that the vote by which his land hill
was defeated be reconsidered He Of
fered to amend the measure by strik-
ing out a section which, it had been
declared. violated the treaty rights of
several nations. He declared that as
the school bill had Just been passed
and that was the one against which
the president objected most strenuous
" two years ago, the assembly sho1IId
go a step farther and pass the land bill
also.
The motion was lost, the vote being
Sc ayes and 50 noes.
Wire From Roosevelt.
Governor Gillett has received the
following telegram from President
Roosevelt:
Washington. Feb.
~. n. Gillett. Governor of California.
your kind letter Just received
What is the rumor that the California
legislature has passed a bill excIudin@
the Japanese children from the nnhiic
schools? This is the most offensive
bill of all, and in my Judgment is
clearly unconstitutional and we should
at once have to test it in the courts
Can 1t be stopped in the Legislature or
by veto?
Governor Gillett immediately wired
a reply to the president and asked foI.
an answer at once. He refuses To d.
cuss the nature of the message 70
Washington, but will make all the 90
respondencc by wire public I1nOD a.
receipt of the presidents next +eIeo
gram if possible.
MOST OFFENSIVE OF ALL
President Declares Sseoraoo..