The San Francisco call., 1910-06-06

Editor CALI, The special report of
the Japanese investigation begun
April Is. 1909. and completed May 20.
1910, was submitted to the governor of
California May %, 1910.
On May %. by agreement between
Governor Gillett and the manager OF
the Associated Press at San Francisco.
the manager and reporters of that
news association had the liberty to re-
view the precise report (as it was de-
livered to the governor) and to make
such excerpts as they chose-the work
being done wholly in this office. room
s. Ferry building, and in the presence
of representatives of the bureau. The
time of release to the newspapers of
the Associated Press was fixed by me
for Monday, May 80.
The construction by the press and
the inference drawn by readers OF the
excerpts of the report are matters with
which 1 have nothing to do, and since
the report is in the hands of the gov
ernor it is beyond my province and
clearly without my duty to make any
comment or publicly to discuss the
document in any matter relating TO the
substance of it.
As to the methods of gathering the
data and compiling the report and the
character of the special agents en-
ployed, deem it not only within my
prerogative. but clearly my duty to
the people of the state and in JUS
tice TO the legislative supporters of
the provisions of chapter 134, statutes
Of 1909. making the appropriation for
this work, to deny and correct certain
false and misleading statements given
publicity through an interview in The
Call of June f.
The work was begun on April Is
with the appointment of nine special
agents, eight of whom were men and
one woman-all white and Americans.
There were no japanese or other aliens
employed in any capacity. The legis--
lattve allowance for salary per agent
was not to exceed $5 a day. The salary
paid each and all of the special agents
was "a day, and while in the field the
agents were allowed expenses for
transportation and subsistence, which
averaged less than SO a day per agent.
In making the appointments the
agents were selected with regard to
their special fitness for the particular
branch of the work to which each was
assigned: and it was made plain to
them that in view of the small appro-
priation the investigation could not be
properly undertaken and successfully
completed without the practice of rigid
economy and sacrifice of personal COM
fort and disregard of the number of
hours that constitute a days work.
Recognizing the fact that an employe
of the state may not be compelled to
labor more than eight hours a day, but
realizing the necessity. the agents un-
dertook and completed the work under
these unavoidable conditions. In the
field and in much of the office work the
labor required an average of II hours
day and in various instances exceed
i
dollar for overtime. No other reason
can be assigned for the willingness of
the employees. to submit to these condi-
tionS than their loyalty to the state
and to the governor.
The Office work required for a con-
siderable part of the time two addt-
stenographers, who made such saeri-
fees as were required. without COM
plant.
Prior to the undertaking of the field
work a general scheme was formu-
lated, so far as practicable, from in
formation then In hand: the general
scope of the inquiry. the various lines
of industry and fields of activity were
determined upon, and plan drafted
that could be economically and eXpe-
ditiously followed; the element of elias
ticity was provided for, so that an ex
pansion of the plans as the work
progressed could be readily and easily
adjusted to comport with the general
scheme.
Schedules or blank forms were pre-
pared and printed and from time to
time required, additional forms were
either printed or multigraphed, as the
character of the information sought
might require; always with the view OF
obtaining maximum amount OF data
and information and effecttng a COM
prehensive idea of the nature of the
information sought.
Positive instructions were issued to
all special agents employed in the work
in the field that wherever the element
of comparison entered to have all data
recorded on schedules, or submitted in
special reports, free from bias and
without prejudice This precaution was
considered of extreme Importance, and
in all our correspondence was i'm
pressed and emphasized. This rule was
also enforced in the seeking of new or
additional information as the work
progressed
tanned from Japanese engaged in bust
ness activities of various characters
and located in isolated communities. as
nese population throughout the state.
This number represents approximately
SO per cent of the Japanese business
houses and other similar establishments
1t was thoroughly realized that one
of the most important phases of the
ployment of Japanese in fields of agri-
culture. horticulture and viticulture,
and various other divisions of the prod
ucts of the soil For the purpose Of
work in the interior of the state, the
special agents used the cities and
towns as working basis and carried
forward the inquiry, covering the dis
tricts by use of horse and buggy, going
into the orchards, berry fields, vine
yards, beet fields, seed farms. and. in
fact, into all fields of agricultural or
horticultural industry where Japanese
might be employed, whether as a domi-
nant factor or incidental to the re-
quirements of the harvest The inves-
tigation was carried by personal visits
into all the basins, valleys and foothill
regions of the state where the culti-
walton of the soil required labor that
was or might be performed by Japa-
nese.
A very close examination was made
of the relationship of the Japanese to
these industries and the position they
occupy as a factor in many of the di-
visions OF labor in these fields; and
close regard was paid to the element
of reliability of the data obtained,
which was to form the basis and
ground plan of a true presentation Of
existing conditions. Work in the vari-
Gus fields of agriculture commenced
with the harvesting of deciduous fruit
crops and grapes throughout the state,
and the picking of the berry crops
continuing through the seasons of har-
vesting the later products of orchard
and vineyard. and of the sugar beet