Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-14
de-Stepping the Jap Issue

SideStepping the Jap Issue
The legislature proposes to sdesep anti-aien lane
legislation by passing up the matter congress- mot
] to embarass the Harding administration"
Congress controlled by eastern commercial interests
opposed to restrictive immigration legislation which does
hesitate to imper the future welfare of the nation for the
sake of the present profit received by exploiting cheap
emigrant labor.
The present congress different in this respect from
past congresses shown by the fate of the emgrant
bill pending which is being held up indefinitely by the
reactionary elements in control. The congress
controlled by the sinister forces and consisting for the
most part Of the membership cannot be depended
to protect the interests of the people, either east west
National administrations have been coercing Pacific
states for decades in the interest of Asiac nations
Roosevelt used the bigstick and bull-dozed California
fifteen years ago and result the situation has steadily
until the future of California menaced today
The Wilson administration proved BETTER and the
peraed Cafornians have taken the matter in their own
hands and exercised their constitutional rights and passed
proper measures for the protection of the state
The first effect of the California law is to send an
exodus of Japanese into Oregon which threatens in similar
manner, the destiny of the state The Rogue river valley
adjacent the border is the first to feel the effects of the
invasion, numerous orchards and tracts having already
been purchased leased for long terms by the Japs Gradu
ally the influx will extend north and the entire satesuffer
The only objection in Oregon to the states enacting
similar laws to California, from Portland commercial
interest who fear that Japan will side track to-
Seattle to the injury of Portland The states welfare
nothing, if Portands only be stimulated and
for this of pottage the future will be cheerfuy
sacrificed at the alter of the god of business.
When California put the ban n'the Japs Seattle
great opportunity to play lickspte with the result that
Japanese routed through the Sounds metro
polls instead of San Francisco Now Japs nearly all the
hotels lodging houses and restaurants of Seattle countless
business blocks and office buildings and have firm hold
upon the city Portland evidently seeks the fate
The east controlled by big business and not familiar with
the Japanese has sympathy with the coasts problem
Having menaced its own future by importing countless
noes of inferior white cheap labor for its
industries it is puzzled and disgusted with the stand of
western Americans to prevent the farest and most fertile
portion of the nation from becoming yellow and their
check the progress of alien and unassimabe
3eople in their midst
If the proposed laws entaed any affront against Japan
would be different but the coast states only insist
lpon the same restrictions against Asatcs that Japan en-
forces in her territory against Americans. Moreover
he California law is not nearly stringent the Aus
ralan laws where the policy of keeping Australia white
has long been recognized and accepted,
The cowardly national policy of kow-towing continually
Japan for fear wondng her sensbties is dsgracefu
has and will get nowhere The concessions made
he aps the greater the progress of their megaomana and
he more their presumption and demand
IL the legislature will not heed the demand of the governor
nd the people of Oregon for effective anorenta egisa
on on the theory that national government composed of
hose nimca and hostile to the program will afford relief
is p to the people to initiate and the relief meas
res-for that what the initiative is forto enact laws
ne people demand and the Legislature refuses to enact liz