The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-07
JAPANESE INRoADS.

! It has been a favorite protestation
on the part of those among us who
are in favor of deferring to- Japan
that the Japanese immigration to this
country is being honestly limited by
the Japanese government, and that VIC
have no reason to fear japanese com
petition in our llbors or industries,
since the Japanese government would
| prefer to have coionists or enigrants
from that country 90 to Korea or
FormCsa rather than to the United
| States. We are constantly assured also
that the number Of japanese in this
| country is Decreasing by reason of the
good faith exercised by the Japanese
government in heading of emigration
to this country. and in rcclaiming those
| japanese who are here as soon As they
can he got at. The suggestion, there
fore, that there ought to be mere
drastic restriction Of Japanese imml-
grafton is drowned upon, since that
would be questioning the good faith
of the japanese government.
1t has been a matter Of current oh.
servation and of actual demonstration,
| however, that these official represeu-
tations are misleading, and while of
course not Intentionally false, are false
| in fact. For the number of Japanese
in this country is increasing ali the
time, and increasing very fast. The
breaking down of the restrictions
against japanese immigration has
opened the way. and tho inducements
for Japanese to come to the United
States arc so very great as to over
come any effort OF the japanese gov
erument. even if honestly made, to re.
strict the coming Of Japanese TO our
shores.
Specifically an illustration in point
comes from California and is sum
married. editorially as follows in the
Springfield (Mass.) Republican,:
How the japanese have been making
their way as fruit farmers in Callfornia
| was shown in statistics presented the
| other day 10 the judiciary committee o.
| the state Sens To- by the Asiatic Exclusion
| League, which is asking for law FOR
bidding the purchase or lease OF land hy
aliens. In 1905 the Japanese Of California
| owned 22f2 acres and leased 5tS3l. IN
| 1909 these holdings had increased TO
| l6.oi9 acres owned and l37. 232 leased. II
| is estimated that al present they oNE
| 90. 600 acres and lease $4,000 Farmers
| from the south Of the State expressed
| the fear that unless something is done
| the japanese viii gain control Of the
| orange industry. However unfriendly the
| comment II was fine compliment 70
| the Japanes as farmers and business
men, Objection was made 20 tho BirdsaU
bill hecaus u permits ownership by jan
| ancse corporations. Senator Sanford
bill Is more stringent, prohibiting owner
! ship or lease by n corporation the ma
! jority OF whose stock is held by aliens
| not eligible to citizenship. California Is
| in an awkward position iust now. for II
| Is highly undesirable that anything be
done 10 mar the great exposition OF 1915.
1t is quite true that California is in
an awkward position in this matter.
1t is so not only on account of tho
Panama canal exposition, but because
of the attitude of our own govern.
ment with respect 10 Japanese immi-
grafton. Officially we assume the cor
| reetness Of the position that the Jap
anese authorities are not only in good
| faith attempting 10 reduce the mum
| Der OF japanese in this country. but
| in fact are doing so. The truth Is.
| however, that they are doing nothing
of tho kind. and that the japanese
arc increasing vastly in numbers in
the United States all the time. not
only specifically as 10 the occupation
of lands in California, but as laborers
throughout all this mountain region