The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-28
SAYS JAPAN SENDS
GOOD IMMIGRANTS
CURRENT NOTIONS ABOUT THOSE
IN CALIFORNIA AND THEIR
TRADES ARE FALSE.
PUBLISHES PAMPHLET
FORMER JAPANESE SPECIAL AGENT
SAYS SOLUTION LIES IN ALLOW
ING THEM TO BECOME CITT-
ZENs OF THIS COUNTRY,

WASHINGTON, April 27,-The
current notion concerning Japanese
farming in California is altogether
too exaggerated.
japanese city trades, while numer-
Gus, are small-scales enterprises
The "scums' of Japan never immi-
grated to the United States, illiteracy
among Japanese in California being
smallest as compared with that
among other foreign born elements.
These ere some of the statements
made by Yamato Ichihashi, former
ly a special agent of the United States
immigration commission. in a pamph-
let on Japanese Immigration-Its
Status in California" just published
under the auspices of the japanese
Association of America.
Tells of Observations.
In this work Mr.. Ichihashi tells
of his observations as a special agent
Of the United States government and
gives statistics regarding the immi-
grafton Of Japanese. BY way of con
clusion he states that the fundamen-
tai and permanent solution Of the
se~caiied Japanese problem IS the
granting of the right of naturaliza-
ton to the Japanese.
The author Of the pamphlet de-
clares that Japanese immigration was
insignificant until 1891. when 1000
Of them immIgrated for the first
time.
The number never exceeded TO-
600 in any one year but once, and on
the whole formed but less than a
drop in the bucket on the basis Of
general immigration. The agree
ment Of 1907 has been Loyalty and
rigidly kept by the japanese foreign
office: too rigidly 1t may be. for even
students from Japan bound for
American universities. the best bond
Of peace between the two countries.
find it increasingly hard to get their
passports. The Japanese population
has slightly diminished since 1908,
when X was estimated at 1000. The
census for 1910 says 1t was 7l,o66
Concerning the types Of japanese
who have come TO this country Mr..
Ichlhashi declares that common la
horers formed but ala per cent Of
the total immigration between 1886
and 1908. Beaten men of beaten
races could not he applied to the
japanese" he states. ITO call them
coolies If 10 deny facts Females
formed small portion OF the Japa-
nese immigrants, though they form
ed a larger portion Of immigration
in more recent years Ninety-flve per
cent Of Japanese were between four
teen and forty-four years of age when
admitted into the country.
The Money They Bring.
The per capita amount OF money
brought by them Is not materially diff
ferent from that brought by the most
weIl-to-do European immigrants-
namely. English. German, Irish, etc,
In California the il1iteracy among
japanese Is smallest as compared
with that among other foreign born
elements"
The writer of the pamphlet de-
clares that while the great majority
Of the Japanese immigrants are CON
fined to the Western States. and par
ticularly 10 California. they do not
colonize. They are scattered all over
the State. he declares, though the
majority Of them are found in rural
districts.
Concerning employment best suited
for Japanese he states;
"OcCupationally the most impor-
tAnt for Japanese Is agriculture. Here
they are said to he now indlspensa-
Bile Several thousands are employed
by their own merchants and trades
men. a slightly less number are
found in domestic service, Some are
employed by railroads. In none Of
the more important occupations do
the japanese now compete TO the
detriment of the general standard
Of living When similarly occupied.
on the whole. the Japanese are earn
ing just as much as anybody else. II
not more