Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1906 — METCALF CONDENSED [ARTICLE]

METCALF CONDENSED

Nub oT the President's Special Agent's Report on the Jap School Issue. WHAT HE FOUND AT FBISCO Strong Sentiment Against the Japanese in the Labor Field. That Is the Crux of the Matter—How a Bpycott Was Bought Off— Belligerent Japanese Editor. Washington, Dec. 19. New light was thrown on the Japanese situation In California when President Roosevelt sent to congress a special message. accompanied by- the report of Secretary Metcalf on his recent investigation at San Francisco. The following Important points are made by Metcalf: 1. That only ninety-three Japanese children attended the San Francisco public grammar schools when the sepa-rate-school resolution was adopted. Hostility to the Japs. 2. That there is no objection by the administration to any .law which would limit the ages of school pupils so as to exclude grown Japanese. 8. That most of the “Jap” children virtually are debarred from school attendance because the building provided for them is Inaccessible. 4, That hostility toward the mikado's subjects has been shown In various ways, Including boycotts and assaults, even distinguished visitors not being safe. Comments of the President. In his message accompanying Metcalf’s report the president says: “I call your especial attention to the very small number of Japaneseehildren who attend school, to the testimony as to the brightness, cleanliness and good behavior of these Japanese children in the schools, and to the fact that, owing to their being scattered through the city, the requirement for them all to go to one special school is Impossible of fulfilment and means that they cannot have school facilities. «•••••• Treaty Is the “Supreme Law.”lßl “I authorized and directed Secretary Metcalf to state that if there was failure to protect persons and property. then the entire power of the federal government within the limits.of the constitution wonhl be used promptly anil vigorously to enforce the observance of our treaty, the supreme law of the land, * * * nnd all the forces of the United States, both civil and military, which I could lawfully employ, would he employed. POINTS FROM THE REPORT Trouble Started by Organized Labor— Boycott Graft. Secretary Metcalf’s report says that “The action of the hoard Tof education] In the passage of the resolutions of May <i. 1905, and Oct. 11, 1900, was undoubtedly largely influenced by the activity of the Japanese and Korean Exclusive League, an organization formed for the purpose of securing the enactment by the congress of the United States of a law extending the provisions of the existing Chinese exclusion act so as to exclude Japanese and uoreans. claims a membership In the stale of California of 78-500, three-fourths of which membership is said to he in the city of San Francisco. The membership is composed almost entirely of members of labor organizations." He refers to young Japanese men attending the primary grades and says: “I found the sentiment in the state very strong against Jnpanese yo’ung men attending the primary grades. Many of the people were outspoken in their condemnation of tills course, saying that they would take exactly the same stand against American young men of similar ages attending the primary grades. I am frank to say that this objection seems to me a most reasonable one.” He says that the state Is against Interference by the United States government In the matter on the ground of state’s rights, and that If the government Insists the state will go to the length of passing laws excluding all alien children from the schools, making the latter only open to the children of citizens. The crux of the whole question Is the labor question, It appears, the same objections being urged to the Japanese ns were nrged to the Chinese, and with greater vigor. Metcalf describes the cooks and waiters union’s boycott ngalnst the Japanese restaurants from Oct 3 to Oct. 24, which resulted In picketing and the usual violence. The Japs have a nnloti of their own, but their application for affiliation with the native union waa rejected. The .Taps finally concluded to buy off the boycott and actually did pay to the native union 1350 and the boycott ceased. During the agitation against the Japs many assaults were made and two of the victims of these assaults were professors of the Japanese Imperial university, who were atoned. Metcalf, however, says he is satisfied that none of the violence was done by union pickets.