The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-16
TAFT AND THE JAPANESE.

Former President Taft In an address
before the National Geographic So
ciety makes plea for justice to the
.Japauese. He declares that The Japan
ese government has faithfully lived up
to its treaty obligations by keeping ITS
coolie labor from American shores, and
he believes that those japanese who
are in this country should he treated
without discrimination, land no mat
ter what the reckless and unjust acts
Of thoughtlcss people in California or
elsewhere may be. they should be re-
straued.'' The former president IS
right in seeking 10 base American ac-
tion toward Japan and its subjects
upon foundation of justice. We should
trea; them as we would wish 10 be
treated by them Only injustice, as the
cx.presideut says, can bring about war
between the United States and japan,
and no recommends to all Americans the
application of the Golden Rule in their
treatment of the japanese.
No people can 20 far wrong in ac-
ccpting advice inspired by the Golden
Rule and by the spirit of justice. 1t
may be true that the people Of our
Pacific coast have not always been
guided by these high principles in their
efforts 10 solve the japanese question,
and wherever thoughtless people urge
persecution Of the japanese. or of any
other nationality within our borders,
they should be restrained.
No one should doubt, however, that
the people of California intend 20 base
their Japanese legislation on Justice
The problem is cnc Of the most difficult
with which any American State has had
10 deal, and from time TO time thcrc
VIII bc disagreements between the peo-
PIE Of our Pacific coast and the govern
ment of Japan. Nevertheless we may
be sure that in the end no injustice viii
he done the japanese now within our
borders or those that may be admitted
hereafter
The chief objection Of the American
people to the japanese is economic The
American and European Iaborers in this
country arc unable TO compete with
Asiatic laborers who have been accus-
toned 10 such q meager scale of living
as that which has been the lot Of the
people of Nippon for ages
The representative who was sent TO
this country BY the government of
Japan 10 investigate the entire question
recently, reported that the American
people opposed japanese immigration
chiefly on account Of the economic CON
flict. Throughout Nippon a proud and
sensitive body Of people suspected that
Californians and other Americans were
seeking 10 insult the japanese By dis.
examinations which found their evil in.
spiration in racial antipathy. The term
racial antipathy' covers a wide field
OF loose thinking. Between anv two
races on the globe there is somo degree
of racial antipathy. Usually it is the
result Of misunderstanding, but some
times, as in the case Of whites and
Asiatics, il is founded on the impossi.
bility of assimilation; but surely the
Japanese people cannot in justice find
any insult in a racial opposition that
goes down into the very root of nature.
IL IL not question of inferiority or su.
periority, but of something deeper.
In the carly days OF Japan s trans.
formation from the standards Of ancient
Nippon 10 the standards of Europe.
certain coterie Of educated Japanese
wrote to the eminent philosopher. Her
bert Spencer, and asked him for ad.
vice as to what the japanese people
should do In the years 10 come. We
have forgotten most of Herbert Spen-
GERS reply, but recall vividly that the
philosopher warned the japanese to be-
ware Of assimilation with the white
races. The Japanese have not forgot
ten his recommendation. They have
passed land laws equally as severe 10.
ward Americans and Europeans as the
land laws Of California are toward the
Japanese. II there were any danger Of
Write domination in japan. we may well
beli"re that the Japanese would pass