Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-08
A CANADIAN VIEW
OF ALIEN BILLS

Sentiment in British Columbia NJ
holds the California anti-alien Ian
ownership bill. if the following editt
Iial from the Vancouver News-Advel
User is an indication. British Colun
bia some years ago was the scene Q
.nti- Oriental riots that attracted inter
Lational attention
Popular demonstrations in Ja->
pan against California; anti
japanese legislation are not like
ly to disturb. the serenity CT the
people of the Golden state or in
duce them to reconsider their in
tention of eliminating the Asiatic
landowner In fact, If the people
OF California are possessed of the
genuine American spirit and there
is no doubt they are to q full
measure, the threats which are
hurled at them from across the
Pacific viii make them more reso-
lutte in pursuing the course on
which they have entered.
That the people of California
have the best OF reasons for pre-
venting the agricultural areas of
the state being overrun bv Asiat-
les, any one who has studied con-
ditions on this coast must readily
admit. A large farming popula-
ton of Japanese would not only
be a menace to the agricultural
industry, but would constitute
peril to the country and in the
legislation now before the state
senate for ratification the white
citizens are simply adopting fair
measure Of seIf-defense against
encroachments by a social as well
as a national enemy. The Japan
csc of California will never be as
simulated by the white popula-
ton; they could never become
loyal subjects of the republic or
sharers in the ideals of the peo-
pie. They must always remain an
alien and more or less hostile ele-
ment in the country. That being
so it would be unwise to allow
them to acquire great tracts of
land and dominate the farming in
dustry; it would be fatal to per-
NIT them to achieve the designs
they harbor, which is to monopo-
lie the agricultural production.
Nor is it at all probable that the
fury of the japanese ,mobs and the
absurd demands of their newspa-
pers will have any influence with
the Tokyo government. Japanese
statesmen must realize that the
time has not yet come for them
to mediate hostilities against a
rich and powerful Western en-
pire like the United States. A
war with the American republic
would be a different proposition
from the struggle with Russia on
the fields of Manchuriaa and might
result in RELOCATING Japan to the
standing among nations occupied
by her before that memorable con-
flict.
1t is not at all improbable that
the federal government at Wash
ington will use its influence to
prevent the measure, at least in
its present form, passing through
the California legislature. Such
course would suggest itself to an.
administration DESTROYS OF main
tanning cordial relations with a
foreign government We may be
sure, too, that pressure will be
brought to bear by. Industrial in
terests, which look 20 Japan as
an important market, in the fu-
ture, for their commodities. But
we are greatly mistaken IL either
federal persuasion or commercial
argument viii induce the people
of California to abandon policy
dictated by the manifest welfare
of the state and the true progress
and happiness of the people.