UNITED STATES AND JAPAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 28

UNITED STATES AND JAPAN.

THE IMMIGRATION BILL.

NEW YORK, February 11. It is authoritatively stated in Washingion that President Roosevelt has hinted that if the separate Oriental schools in California are abolished he will strive to 6ecure a new treaty with Japan, excluding Japanese coolies from entering the States. February 15. With the acquiescence of Japan, Mr Boot (Chief Secretary of State) has drafted an amendment whereby the proposed Immigration Bill will exclude Japanese coolies pending the conclusion of a fresh treaty. February 18. The Senate has adopted the report on immigration. The Californians have agreed to admit Japanese children to the schools immediately after the passage of the bill restricting the immigration of Japanese coolies, pending the conclusion of a fresh treaty. Our New York correspondent, writing on January 12, states : — "Governor Pardee, of California, in a message to the State Legislature, says that President Roosevelt does not understand the Japanese situation in San Francisco. The Governor said: — 'It is safe to say that ihe President, when he penned the portion of his annual message upon the opening of Congress in which he refers to the treatment of the Japanese in the San Francisco schools, was not aware of the condition of the coast, and especially in California. In common with the people of the East, who have no experience with the unueimilated people of Japan and China, \he President does not understand the facial differences between the Japanese br Chinese ana .people of Caucasian jblood. Unfortunately,- neither the Japanese nor the Chinese appear capable of absorption and assimilation into the mass of our people. It is useless to expect *hat people with such different racial characteristics and civilisation can ever mix with our people and become absorbed into our body politic; they cannot become good American citizens; it is us&less to attempt to make them such. The treaty, as I read it, docs not require that the Japanese be put into classes with our children. To give them as good school facilities more than complice with the treaty. iThercfore it would appear that San Francisco, in providing separate schools for the Japanese, is strictly within the letter

and spirit of the laws of this State, and in no way acting in contrariety to the •treaty with Japan. The State of California, a sovereign State of the United Slates of America, ha.s no quarrel with i the Government of either Japan or China. | On the contrary. California has the greatest respect for these two countries, and deprecates equally any indignities which may be I put upon Americans in Japan or China, or upon Japanese or Chinese in this 1 country. We realise thoroughly that it ■ is only the irresponsible and \icious in Japan and China who insult and injure American citizens; we know equally well, and we hope the Japanese and Chinese Governments also know, that it is only the irresponsible and vicious who, in America, insult, and injure the subjects of these two great nations.' "' i