Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-14
How BRITISH COLONIES !
KEEP OUT JAPANESE
BY PERCY F. MONTGOMERY.

|
acy of the Pacific" Written for the
Tacoma Tribune)
An impressive lesson may be learned
by study of the British governments
policy in the matter Of Japanese in,mi.
grafton, The sun never sets upon the
British fag, and in the Pacific, Aus.
tralia, on one side of the world, has
barred Japan and Canada, on the other
side of the world has barred Japan.
Australia had her trouble with Japan
years ago. Canada's problem is mat
ter of yesterdays history and the tale
OF the Vancouver riots. Drastic, direct |
and efficient legislation by the British |
has removed from the diplomacy of that
nation any question Of Japan g "nation-
al honor" and has blocked the influx |
of Japanese into British territory with.
out a protest from the Japanese.
The most competent study Of immi
grafton ever made in history is re-
corded in the "Dillingham Commits,
sion s Report" This report says;
"During the last so years the most
vital phase of the Australian immigra-
tion situation has been the exclusion of
Asiatics, The colonies have fought this
immigration with entrance fees, and
fines, limitations of the number of pas.
sengers to given tonnage of ships,
educational tests and absolute prohibi.
ton"
Ever since the discovery of gold in
the Victorian fields Of Australia in
1851, the Asiatics have tried to flow
into Australia. AS early as 1855 re.
strictive legislation was enacted.
For "white Australia"
The slogan of "White Australia"
was raised many years ago and the
present law is the result, This law,
which is known as the commonwealth
immigration restriction act Of 1901,
amended and now operative, provides
an educational test for all applicants.
This test consists of writing in Euro
pean language, at the dictation of an
Australian immigration officer, total
of so words Between the years 1902
and 1907 10 Japanese tried this test
and 10 Of them were deported.
The total number of japanese allowed
to enter Australian territory by special
permission of the governor general dur.
ing the years 1902 to 1908 was 1924.
Coming closer home, we find Can.
: ada's disposition of the question equal
ly illuminating. In 1901 but six Japa'
nese came to Canada. The next yeaI
none came and the next year and the
next year. And then, in 1905, there
a.. landed in British Columbia a total Of
g 453 japanese.
Q These people wrote home, In the
next - months, or 1906, Japanese Il
the number 1929 landed in Pacific Can
ada. In 1907 the number increased II
: 2O42. In 1907 it rose to 1901 for tn,
v first nine months. Then the storm
n broke. British Columbia, occupying /
d position with reference to Canada a
J. a whole which is similar to California
= geographical relation to the total Unite,
States mainland territory, bore the fore
!. front of this fight. Each year, from
e 1900 on, the provincial legislative bod,
Il enacted an educational test law simila
y to that Of Australia. The first one wa
i disallowed in 1901 by Earl Minto, gov
:, ernor general Of Canada. And subsC
- quent ones were disallowed.
10 How Canada Excluded Thsm.
u Then the people took hand. tn
ID staid and sober Briton went down {
the japanese quarter at Vancouver an
- tried to wipe IL out over night.
n royal commission was appointed aud
nj royal commissioner was sent to fin
lf out what was wrong. In his repor
'e made at ottawa in 1908, this commi
Nj sioner, W. l.. Mackenzie King, says;
:" " Assuming, however, that 1900 WI
~ the total japanese population in the b.
e ginning Of the year (l0O5) It is not
matter Of surprise that with the arrivl
al their shore Of sl25 Japanese in n
RS 10 months following, the people Of Bri
n. ish Columbia and more especially u
- people Of Vancouver, should have g
&c perienced some concern, and that
H. vessel after vessel landed an ever Il
=, ." creasing number until in fewer montl
than It had taken years TO bring u
in Japanese population Of British Colur
ct bia to what it was, this total was Q
et ceedod by new arrivals, that constern
To- tion should have been felt in mar
cn quarters. II anything more we
AZ AZ needed to occasion unrest, IL was 20
ma found in the simultaneous arrival fro
ly tho Orient OF Hindus by the hundre
IFS and Chinese in larger numbers thi
n. those Of Immediately preceding yea
IN II was an alarm at numbers and Il
es cry Of a white Canada was raised. "
,yy m The result Of this investigation
No. found in Section 3s (c) OF the preso
- t,,..,g,,ro.i., t,v. 81 thn pon,trt ,