The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-12
CALIFORNIA AND OUR
ASIATIC POLICY.

AZ I
@ 01
New York journal of Commerce: No
greater service could be rendered to
the country than that which Represen-
tatiVe Mann performed in his declara-
tion, as minority leader in the house,
place in the discussion of the foreign
policy OF the United States. II think"
said Mr.. Mann, now Is the time for us
10 be cool and collected, not to be car
REQ ON our feet because we think per
chance We can play politics to the DIS
advantage Of the democrats. We owe
an allegiance to our country above our
! party Moreover as Mr.. Mann remind
ed his colleagues, congress represents
the entire country, and on such a ques-
ton as Asiatic exclusion ought to pro-
tect even California against herself. IT
might be ungraciouS to recall the fact
that had this been republican doctrine
In years gone by our dealings with
China and Japan would not have been
the disgraceful chapter OF American
history which they are, and some Of
the problems which trouble us today
would be n-existent. But it may not
be without instruction to recall the
fact that since the control of our Chi
nese policy passed into tho hands of
the California labor unions and the
hoodlums Of the Sand Lots, forty-five
years 81 democrats and republicans
have WED with each other in trying to
reap partisan profit from anti-Asiatic
agitation in the Golden state. Even
President Roosevelt, who is not gem
orally accused of lack of courage,
found it expedient not to run counter
to the wishes of the California dele
cation in congress In the matter Of
DONG common justice to the Chinese.
The episode Is already h~alf-forgotten.
and may profitably be recalled. In his
annuaI message to congress OF Dec. s,
1905, President Roosevelt said: I'm the
effort to carry out the policy of ex-
Guiding Chinese laborers grave injus-
tlce and wrong have been done by this
nation to the people of China and
therefore ultimately to the nation it.
self. Chinese students, business and
professional men of all kinds-not only
merchants, but bankers, doctors, man.
ufacturers, professors, travellers and
the llke-should be encouraged to come
here and be treated on precisely the
same footing as we treat students.
business men, travellers and the like of
other nations. Our laws and treaties
should be framed not so as to put these
people in the excepted classes, but to
state that we will admit ali Chinese
except Chinese Of the coolie class, Chi
nese skilled or unskilled laborers." A
pill was introduced by Mr.. Foster. OF
Vermont, at the first session of the
10 embody the principles and methods
OF Chinese exclusion outlined in this
message. The bill met rom the tirst
WIN the oleter and uncompromisins
~ gall lldH ueIeKAS
tion in congress and a COMMITTEES OF
tnese gentlemen specially detailed to
oppose the measure at every stara
were permitted to insult n brow-beat
favor. IA ~
After hearings extending over three
months the house committee on Fore
Ign Aftairs was ready to make a report
Foster bill, bore some resembIance 10
II. The California deIegation raiseG
thelr voices in united protest that If
any measure carrying with IL the
sdlghtest relaxation of severity toward
Cnlnese immigrants were reported, or
IN any way favored by republicans nor
one OF them would be returned to con-
sress at the fall election. In this emer-
snncs the speaker Of the house was
aPpealed to, and so was the Chairman
OF the Republican Congressional Cam
PdlSn committee, with the result thar
the Foster bill was left to iumber in
,, n plseon holes OF the committee room
untll next session. When December
arrived. and with it the certainty thai
none OF the California delegation had
oeen elected to stay at home, II pvas
@F rso mat the committee would feel
Tree to place themselves on record as
TO what should be done for the an,e,d
nlent or the Chinese Immigration 1"r
nu5 tne Cailtorn1ans, quite ignoring the
t T~toG hiIi on which a report on
ASKING for new hearings, and in a.;
possible ways exercised their nrivjJe-a
as members of the house to render 60
rton on the bill impossible. They even
who were earnestly desirous Of tatinSS
some action in the matter that AZ
president and the secretary az q+a+o
W IN agreement with them in re-
s,1cb ! as -oad politics" to take any
Sucn action as had been recommended
III the message of December, 1905,
~ IS perhaps unnecessary to refer 70
me lnconclusiveness of the bargain
i997 WAS iva hastily struck with Japan in
Jspanese children to the public schools
OF San Francisco. California us
p4eased to accept the bar which had
p pee i~nterposed to Japanese immigra-
consent TO live up to the terms Of the
treaty between the United States and
Japan. n president had most yigor-
ously attacked and disposed Of the
there was a distinct surrender OF dig
NIFTY in his negotiation with the motor.
ious mayor of San Francisco and the
nardly more reputable delegation that
Impossible to ignore the fact that Mr.
roosevelt gave away the whole casa
when he virtually conceded that in re-
storing Japanese children to their for
Francisco the city and the state had
done something which entitled them to
be humored in the matter of excluding
Japanese immigrants. Perhaps the en-
enlargement hat this weak comprom
Use gave to future anti-Japanese agita-
ton was its most dangerous feature.
this agitation the recent alien land
of California is a typical iliustra-
ton, and the whole question has not
advanced a step nearer settlement than
1t was holly debated seven years
The simple fact remains. Of
California continues to be OBJ
.stinately oblivious, that while the Unit
ed States has the unquestioned right to
determine what sort of people it should
admit to its territory and what sort 1t
bar out, it cannot select the peo-
pie Of any one nation for exclusion
giving offense to tina nation.
A uniform restriction on immigration
prescribing qualifications which must
be possessed by all alike who desire to
enter here can give just offense to no.
body, because it Is of universal appIi-
But we a no more enact a
expressly excluding Japanese lab
orers without giving ofense to Japan
than we could enact a law excluding
German or French laborers withou.
offense to Germany or France.
+
Dad Wasn't Thankful.
Philadelphia Telegraph: They were
about the youngsters at aNre-
can't I;,pny rpoap Co.., Ta,,.ao- ry