The Detroit times., 1911-02-22
Taft Wants 0rientals
To Regulate Immigration

WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.-The text
of new treaty with Japan. designed
to replace that Of 1894 and drawn
with the special design Of eliminating
the restrictions on immigration con-
tanned In that treaty, was laid before
the senate yesterday by President
Taft.
The essential difference between
the proposed treaty and the existing
convention il that 1t omits all refer
ence to such restrictions and leaves
to the national honor Of Japan the
enforcement at her own ports tho
limitations on emigration from Japan
now expressly placed on immigration
into the United States.
The document is said to provide
that either country may denounce the
treaty at the end of six months II 1t
fails to operate as expected,
Because 1t embodies this radical
departure from the existing treaty
and touches the question OF the deep
est Importance and interest to the Pa
cific slope, the injection OF this con-
vention into the closing hours OF the
sixty-first congress, created q sensa-
ton.
That the new treaty will encounter
opposition seems certain. for even IL
1t should be speedily reported to the
senate from the committee room WITH
out serious controversy within the
committee room, the western senators
are expected to insist on opportunity
for debate which will develop the full
extent Of their opposition to the
treaty. Unlike matters OF ordinary
legislation, failure OF the senate 10
act on the treaty during the remain
der Of this session OF congress woulo
not of itself extinguish Its vitality,
which could be kept indefinitely anve
In the executive files OF the senate
to be taken up at any convenient time:
This new treaty Is one Of trade anu
commerce." intended to replace the
treaty of 1894 negotiated by the late
Secretary Gresham and Baron kurino.
tf,en Japanese minister to the United
States. That treaty IL q most com
prehensive document, comprising ~
articles. dealing with trade. commerce
and navigation, rights Of dwelling. I'M
mort and export duties, tonnage dues,
port regulations, assertions. shipping
rights. consular functions, and other
subjects.
In article 2 OF the treaty OF 1894,
following provisions declaring the
right of the citizens Of the two coun-
tries to full liberty OF travel anu
residence and trade In both countries
Ia this qualifications:
at IA. however, understood that the
stipulations contained In this and the
preceding article do not In any way
affect the laws, ordinances and regu-
lations with regard TO trade, the I'M
migration of laborers, police and pub
lie security which are In force or
which may hereafter be enacted In
either of the two countries
Under this clause the two govern.
ments have enjoyed the right to legis-
late regarding immigration, either by
restriction or by total exclusion OF
coolie labor. Unquestionably the
limited States government could do
this without any treaty stipulation on
the subject, just as 1t did In the case
az China when II enacted the Chinese
exclusion laws. 1t IL understood that
there Is no disposition on the part OF
the Japanese to deny the existence OF
such power. What they do object to
IA the inclusion in q formal treaty,
to which they are party Of stipu-
lation asserting that right, which Is
not embodied in any treaty America
has made with European powers and
which serves only az an irritant to
Japanese pride. In other words the
consummation of the new treaty
would be a tribute to the advanced
position which japan has taken
among the nations without in any de-
gree curtailing the power OF the
United States government to regulate
immigration by legislation.
The presidents action yesterday
created great surprise In congress,
the only persons not being taken un.
awares being the members Of senate
committee on foreign relations. who,
AT a dinner recently given to them at
the white house were Informed b.
President Taft OF what the admins.
tration had In mind. There was ne
opportunity TO read the treaty before
Il had been referred to the foreign re-
lations committee.
IL Is said that that white house
dinner developed some views on the
part of individual senators OF great