The Idaho Springs Siftings News

PRESIDENT AIDS THE JAPANESE

WOULD CALL HALT ON CALIFORNIA ANTI-JAPANESE LEGISLATION.

LETTER TO GOVERNOR

NO DANGER FROM JAPANESE IMMIGRATION AND AGITATORS ONLY MAKE TROUBLE.

Sacramento, Cal. - President Roosevelt has taken a hand in the anti-Japanese legislation now before the California Legislature and has asked the governor to take steps to have all legislation held up until the President can be heard in the matter.

In a telegram sent Saturday this request was embodied and a letter is en route to Sacramento which will give the chief executive's views and wishes in the matter of legislation against the "Little brown men."

According to a statement made by Governor Gillett there will be no legislation against the Japanese at this session of the Legislature.

The legislators who have introduced radical anti-Japanese measures resent interference by the President and governor and say they will fight President Roosevelt's letter to Governor Gillett dated January 16th. Says:

"I am greatly concerned over the anti-Japanese bills which are apparently going through or are on their way in the California Legislature. They are in every sense most unfortunate.

At last we have in first class working order the arrangement which with such difficulty we succeeded in getting through two years ago. The Japanese government is obviously acting in good faith. During the six months ending October 31st last, the total number of Japanese who have come to the mainland of the United States has been 2,074, and the total number who have left has been 3,181. In other words, the whole object nominally desired by those who wish to prevent the incoming of Japanese laborers has been achieved.

"More Japanese are leaving the country than are coming in, and by present indications in a very few years the number of Japanese here will be no greater than the number of Americans in Japan: that is, the movement will be as normal in one case as in the other, which is just as we desire. There is, therefore, no shadow of excuse for action which will simply produce great irritation and may result in upsetting the present agreement and throwing open the whole situation again.

"These agitators have themselves to thank if trouble comes from what they do, if there is any rush or influx of Japanese hither. They hamper the national government in what it has now so efficiently accomplished - the agreement by peaceful means, and through the friendly initiative of the Japanese government, to keep Japanese immigrants out of the United States save as Americans themselves visit Japan.

Is it not possible to get the Legislature to realize one great unwisdom from the standpoint of the country at large, and above all from the standpoint of California, of what is being done?"