The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-12
Alien Exclusion Measure Now
Pending in the House Will
Furnish Strained Relations,
It is Said.
ENVOY HAS STIRRED
UP JAP GOVERNMENT
President Taft is Expected to
Use His Influence to Block
Action on the Measure in
the Senate.

Washington, Feb. - The relations
of the United States and Japan will be
further strained if the house Of repre-
sentatives pass the bill unanimously
reported by the immigration committee
excluding all aliens who cannot be ma
turalized under existing laws.
The Japanese ambassador has in
formed Toxic of the action of the com
mittee. and is awaiting instructions
from his government. Undoubtedly he
will be directed to register a vigorous
protest and to point out the serious
effect of the proposed action upon Jap
anese public sentiment. The matter is
bound to assume Importance. since it
strikes directly at the amour proper of
the people of the far eastern empire
and rObs them in their view, of that
equality with other peoples to which
they believe they are entitled by their
victories over the Russians on the bat
tlefields of Manchuria.
Japan Feels UnkindIy.
Japan feels that it has had slight rea-
son to feel kindly disposed toward the
United States since the war with Rus
sia. The agitation on the Pacific coast
which resulted in outrages upon distin-
guished Japanese subjects, the eXclu-
sion of Japanese from San Francisco
schools, subsequently modified by the
strenuous Intervention of President
fornia Legislature to pass restrictive
measures. which were also made futile
as a result of Mr.. Roosevelt's activity,
created a decidedly bad Impression in
the empire, and might have had seri-
Gus consequences had not the president
dispatched the battleship fleet on it's
famous tour around the world.
Since those incidents and while they
were in the making the United States
has found it necessary TO represent to
the Toxic government on several Occa-
sions its doubt whether the open door
was being fully observed in that part
of Manchuria under Japanese control.
This has served further to irritate the
Japanese.
Finally storm was precipitated on
the empire by the proposal of Secretary
Knox for the naturalization Of the
trans-Manchurian railroad, half of
which is owned by Russia and half by
Japan. A number of papers in Toxic
and Osaka. and elsewhere condemned
the plan. and saw in 1t a purpose to
wound the national pride.
Irritation Near a Head
All this irritation undoubtedly will
come to a head if the house of repre-
sentatives passes the Hayes bill. and
the chances are strong that it will do
so. The platform of the democratic
party in the last national campaign
contained a plank specifically pledging
the party. if successful. to place a law
on the statute books. providing for
the exclusion of Japanese.
The states of California, Oregon,
Washington, Nevada. Utah. and Neb-
raska have given strong evidence of
their sympathy with such a proposi-
tiCn.. These votes will be more than
sufficient to get the Hayes measure
through the house. 1t is expected
that the senate will be more conserva-
tive and with due regard for the eff
feet upon the relations of the two
countries, will decline to take action
Such a course undoubtedly will be
gratifying to the administration. The
state department has been discussing
with Japan the question Of the eXpira-
ton of the treaty of 1909 and the ne
gOtiatiOn of new convention to take
its place. The treaty in force is SINH
lar to that between Japan and Euro
pean powers, but. as a result of a sen.
ate amendment, it terminates, in our
view. in 1912. instead of 1911. the year
when the other instruments end
Japanese Question Amendment.
The Japanese ambassador has urg-
ed strongly that the senate amendment
is without value since it was not
thoroughly understood in Toxic at the
time it was adopted here. 1t is OF
great Importance in the Japanese view
that the negotiations for the revision
of all the treaties should be conducted
simultaneously, better opportunity
thus offering to obtain the concession
the empire desires.
The concession is the elimination
from the new treaties of the provision
in those existing declaring that no stip-
ulations therein contained affect in
any way the laws. ordinances. and
regulations. with regard to the immi-
grafton of laborers in force, or which
may be enacted.
The United States prefers, however.
that other powers. notably Great Bri-
tain. which has in Canada and Aus
tralia the same japanese questions