The San Francisco call., 1910-03-21

The meeting of the Asiatic exclusion
league yesterday took on the aspects
and acquired the attributes of an in
iquisition. Senators squirmed, guber-
Material sspirants stood and delivered
their opinions concerning things Japa-
nese, everybody came right out and
said what Ire thought. and politics and
I paiaver both were vigorously restrained
from entering the inquiry. Protesta-
4 ions there We're aplenty, and cold,
critical. and almost quizzacal attention
from the league members. Words are
magic things and yet the ieaguers
could not forget that the anti-Japanese
bills before the last session of the leg
islsture had failed Of passage.
Theodore Bell, democrat. and Charles
F. Curry, republican, candidates for
governor both, answered the invitation
OF the league 10 express their ideas
concerning Asiatic exclusion, and both
gave straightforward addresses upon
the subject, stating that they were in
favor Of excluding the orientals and
telling why.
THE WHY OF ABSENCE
Equally as interesting was the hear
ing of Senators Wolfe Kennedy and
Hare. who were called to account for
the fact that they were indisputably
duced by Marc Anthony for the pur-
pose of giving the people an oppor-
tunity 10 vote upon the Japanese oues-
ton. was voted on. The three sena-
tors appeared in q comedy role.
Senator Eddie Wolfe protested that
he did not arise TO protest but to ex-
plain only He protested that his rec
ord showed he did not have to protest
in such a matter as the one under con-
Siderstion. He explained that he was
i'll, suffering from nervous prostration,
and. though his spirit called him to
appear in the senate and vote for the
passage Of the bill, yet his flesh held
him in bed, and. to add TO the difficulty.
under the care Of three physicians and
trained nurse.
KENNEDY PROVES AN ALIBI
Senator Tom Kennedy detailed a
lengthy conversation he had over the
telephone with gentlemen who assured
him that the bill would not come up
until z certain time, but that the bill
came up. ir reality. before that time.
Senator John P. Hare based his rea-
son for not appearing on both the ex-
cuses advanced by Senators Wolfe and
Kennedy. who proceeded Hare in their
explanations. He said he was both
sick and laboring under a misunder-
standing as TO the time the bill was
TO come up for vote.
All three of the senators pledged
themselves TO work with the league in
the future.
A. f. Yoell, secretary of the league,
announced that invitations to address
the meeting concerning the problem
Of Asiatic exclusion had been addressed
to Alden Anderson. Hiram Johnson and
Philip A Stanton, but that the reply
OF none of these. save Anderson, had
been received as yet. Anderson wrote
that he could not be present at the
gathering. and he will be earnestly re-
Quested TO appear before the league
al some later date
Theodore Bell said in part:
THIS FROM THEODORE
The problem of Asiatic immigra-
tion is neither a class question nor
local one; il affects the nation
as a whole and all pursuits and
caliings Therefore two considera-
tions must be constantly borne in
mind; first, that 1t is an interna
tionsl question. and secondly, that
IL involves the relations between
distinct races.
Every authority on international
law lays down the indisputa BILE doc
trine that every nation possesses
A the inherent right to regulate, re-
strict or wholly prohibit the admis-
sion of aliens: and that the exer-
else of the right can not be con-
strued as hostile act toward
the country whose people are af-
fected. Under our system of gov
eFnment as established by our fed
eral constitution. the authorities
at Washington possess exclusive
jurisdiction over the subject OF i'm
migration. This Jurisdiction is ex-
ercised through treaties, national
legislation and rules and regula-
tions of the departments especially
charged with the enforcement of
immigration laws.
No state can constitutionally
assume to legislate upon the sub
Ject OF Immigration The sooner
we recognize that the state of
California has no power to enact
ex -lusion laws or any other laws
respecting aliens except those
which come properly within her