A SPECIAL MESSAGE
President Sends Communication
to Congress on Jap Question.
The following communication lias
been transmitted to both houses of Con
gress by the President:
"I inclose herewith for your Informa
tion the final report made to me per
sonally by Secretary Metcalf on the sit
uation affecting the Japanese in San
Francisco. The report deals with three
matters of controversy first, the ex
clusion of the Japanese children from
the San Francisco schools; second, the
boycotting of Japanese restaurants, and,
third, acts of -violence committed
against the Japanese.
"As to the first matter, I call your
especial attention to tbe very small
number of Japanese children who at
tend school, to the testimony as to
the brightness, cleanliness and good be
havior of these Japanese children in the
schools, and to the fact that, owing to
their being scattered throughout the
city, the requirement for them all to
go to one special school is impossible
of fulfillment and means that they can
not have school facilities. Let me point
out further that there would be no ob
jection whatever to excluding from the
schools any Japanese on the score of
age. It is obviously not desirable that
young men should go to school with
nhllrlrpn. The onlv Boint is the exclu
sion of the children themselves. The
number of Japanese children attending
the public schools In San Francisco was
very small. The government has al
ready directed that suit be brought to
test the constitutionality of the act In
question; but my very earnest hope is
that such suit will not be necessary,
and that as a matter of comity the citi
zens of San Francisco will refuse to de
prive these young Japanese children of
education and will permit them to go to
the schools.
"The question as to the violence
against the Japanese Is most admirably
put by Secretary Metcalf, and I have
nothing to add to his statement. I am
entirely confident that, as Secretary
Metcalf says, the overwhelming senti
ment of the state of California Is for
law and order and for the protection of
the Japanese in their persons and prop
erty. Both the chief of police and the
acting mayor of San Francisco assured
Secretary Metcalf that everything pos
sible would be done to protect the Jap
anese in the city. I authorized and di
rected Secretary Metcalf to state that
if there was failure to protect persons
and property, then the entire power of
the Federal government within the lim
its of the constitution would be used
promptly and vigorously to enforce the
observance of our treaty, the supreme
law of the land which treaty guaran
teed to Japanese residents everywhere in
the Union full and perfect protection
for their persons and property; and to
this end everything in my power would
be done, and all the forces of the United
States, both civil and military, which
I could lawfully employ would be em
ployed. I call especial attention to the
concluding sentence of Secretary Met
calf's report of November 26, 1906.
Secretary Metcalf's report is ad
dressed to the President under date of
November 26 last, and In part Is as fol
lows: ,
"In my previous report I said noth
ing as to the causes leading up to the
action of the school board In passing
the resolution of October 11, and the
effect of such action upon Japanese
children, residents of the city of San
Francisco, , desiring to attend the public
schools of that city. A report on this
matter will now be made.
"It seems that for several years the
board of education of San Francisco had
been considering the advisability of es
tablishing separate schools for Chinese,
Japanese and Corean children, and on
May 6, 1905, passed the following reso
lution: - . . , ' .
' " 'Resolved, That the board of educa
tion is determined in its efforts to ef
fect the establishment of separate
schools for Chinese and Japanese pupils,
not only for the purpose of relieving the
congestion at present prevailing in our
schools, but' also for the higher end
that our children should not be p aced
in any position where their youthful im
pressions may be affected by association
with pupils' of the Mongolian race.
"And on October 11 the board passed
the following resolution: ;
"'Resolved, That in accordance with
article X, section 1662. of the school
law of California, principals, are hereby
directed to send all Chinese, Japanese
or Corean children to the Oriental pub
lic school, situated on the south side
of Clay street, between Powell and Ma
son streets, on and after Monday, Oc
tober 15, 1906.' m ,
"The action of the board In the pass
age of the resolutions of May 6, 1905,
and October 11, 1906, was undoubtedly
' largely Influenced by the activity of
the Japanese and Corean Exclusion
league, an organization formed for the
purpose of securing enactment by the
congress of the United States of a law
extending the provisions of the exist
ing Chinese exclusion act so as to ex
clude Japanese and Coreans.
"The number of schools In San Fran
cisco prior to April 18 was 76. Of this
number 28 primary or grammar schools
and two high schools were destroyed by
fire, and one high school was destroyed
by earthquake, leaving 45 schools. Since
April 18, 27 temporary structures have
been erected, making the total number
of school buildings at the present time
72.
"The Oriental school, the school set
apart for the Chinese, Japanese and Co
rean children, is in the burned section.
There is only one Japanese student at
tending this school at the present time,
and there are no Japanese children at
tending any of the other public schools.
I visited the Oriental school in com
pany with the Japanese consul and
found it to compare favorably with
many of the new temporary structures
erected In the city. The course of In
struction Is exactly the same as at the
other public schools, and competent
. teachers are assigned for duty In this
school. Nearly all of the pupils at
tending this school have to be taught
the English language.
"I found the sentiment in the state
very strong against Japanese young
men attending the primary grades. Many
of the people were outspoken in their
condemnation of this 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. All of the political parties In the
state have Inserted In their platforms
planks in favor of Japanese and Co
rean exclusion, and on March 7, 190B, the
state legislature passed a Joint resolu
tion urging that action be taken by
treaty or otherwise to limit and dimin
ish the further Immigration of Japan
ese laborers into the United States.
"The press of San Francisco pretty
generally upholds the action of the
board of education. Of the attitude of
the more violent and radical newspapers
it Is unnecessary to speak further than
to say that their tone Is the usual tone
of hostility to 'Mongol hordes,' and the
burden of their claim Is that Japanese
are no better than Chinese, and that
the same reasons which dictated the ex
clusion of the Chinese call for the ex
clusion of the Japanese as well.
"The temper and tone of the more
conservative newspaper! may better be
illustrated by an epitome of their ar
gument upon the public school ques
tion, That argument practically Is as
follows: The public schols of California
are a state and not a Federal institu
tion. The state has the power to abol
ish those schools entirely, and the Fed
eral trovernment would have no right
to lift its voice in protest. Upon the
oiner nana, me state mav exienu mo
privileges of its schools to aliens upon
such terms as it, the state, may elect,
and the Federal government has no
right to question its action in this re
gard. Primarily arid essentially the
public schools are designed for the edu
cation of the citizens of the state. The
state Is Interested in the education of
Its own citizens alone. It would not
for a moment maintain this expensive
Institution to educate foreigners and
aliens who would carry to their coun
tries the fruits of such education. There
fore, if it should be held that there was
a discrimination operating in violation
of the treaty with Japan In the state's
treatment of Japanese children, or even
if a new treaty with Japan should be
framed which would contain on behalf
of Japanese subjects the 'most-favored-natlon'
clause, this could and would be
met bv the state, which would then ex
clude from the use of its public schools
all alien children of every nationality
and limit the riguts of free education to
children of its own citizens, for whom
the system is primarily designed and
maintained, and if the state should do
this the Federal government could not
complain, since nq treaty right could be
violated when the children of Japanese
were treated precisely as the children
of all foreign nations.
"The feeling in the state Is further
Intensified, especially in labor circles,
by the report on the conditions in the
Hawaiian islands as contained in Bul
letin 66 of the Bureau of Labor, De
partment of Commerce and Labor. The
claim is made that white labor has been
almost entirely driven from the Ha
waiian Islands, and that the Japanese
are gradualy forcing even the small
white traders out of business.
"Many of the foremost educators in
the state, on the other hand, are strong
ly opposed to the action of the San
Francisco board of education. Japan
ese are admitted to the University of
California, an institution maintained
and supported by the state. They are
also admitted to, and gladly welcomed
at, Stanford University. San Francisco,
so lar as known, is the only city which
has discriminated against Japanese chil
dren. I talked with a number of promi
nent labor men, and they all said that
they had no objection to Japanese chil
dren attending the primary grades; that
they wanted Japanese children now in
the United States to have the same
school privileges as children of other
nations, but that they were unalterably
opposed to Japanese young men attend
ing the primary grades.
"The objection to Japanese men at
tending the primary grades could very
readily be met by a simple rule limit
ing the ages of all children attending
those grades. All of the teachers with
whom I talked while in San Francisco
spoke in the highest terms of the Jap
anese children, saying that they were
among the very best of their pupils,
cleanly in their persons, well behaved,
studious, and remarkably bright.
"The board of education of San Fran
cisco declined to rescind its resolution
of October 11. claiming that, having es
tablished a separate school for Chinese,
Japanese and Corean children, the pro
visions of section 1662 of the political
code became mandatory."
Resume of Japanese attending public
schools in San Francisco as mentioned
In the foregoing communication:
Number of pupils 93
Number' of schools they attended 23
Number of pupils at
6 years old '
7 years old 6
8 years old . . . . 9
9 years old 3
10 years old "
11 years old ,.,, 5
12 years old j , 8
13 years old ......... . 7
14 years old
15 years old .10
16 years old 9
17 years old 12
18 years old 6
19 years old .' . 4
20 years old 2
Number of pupils at '
First grade ..;...... 7
Second grade 10
Third grade J 2
Fourth grade lj
Fifth grade ,', 11
Sixth grade , 13
Seventh grade J
Eighth grade 17
Number of pupils born in
Japan '6
United States 25
Number of
girls 28
Boys 65
"A boycott was maintained In San
Francisco from October 3 to October 24
by members of the Cooks and Waiters'
Union against Japanese restaurants do
ing business in that city. Nearly all of
the leaders of labor organizations In
San Francisco interviewed on this sub
ject disclaimed any knowledge of any
formal action being taken tor the boy
cotting of these restaurants.
"As a matter of fact, a most effect
ive boycott was maintained against
nearly all of the Japanese restaurants
located in San Francisco for at least
three weeks. Pickets were stationed in
front of these restaurants and every ef
fort was made to prevent people from
patronizing them. At times stones were
thrown and windows broken, and in one
or two instances the proprietors of the
restaurants were struck bv theie stones.
"I am satisfied, from inquiries made
by me and from statements made to
me by the Japanese restaurant keepers,
that the throwing of stones and break
ing of windows was not done by the men
picketing the restaurants, but by young
men and boys who had gathered in front
of the restaurants as soon as the boycott
was instituted.
"Assaults have from time to time
been made upon Japanese subjects resi
dent in the city of San Francisco. I
was Informed by the chief of police that
upon receipt of a communication from
the Japanese consul he at once instruct
ed captains of police to make every ef
fort to stop these assaults, and, if nec
essary, to assign men In citizens' clothes
to accomplish the purpose.
"These attacks, so I am informed,
with but one exception were made when
no policeman was in the Immediate
neighborhood. Most of them were made
by boys and young men; many of them
were vicious in character, and only one
appears to have been made with a view
of robbing the persons attacked. All
these assaults appear to have been made
subsequent to the fire and earthquake
in San Francisco, and my attention was
not called to any assaults made prior to
the 18th day of April. 1906
"I know that these assaults upon the
Japanese are universally condemned by
all good citizens of California. For
months the citizens of San Francisco
and Ookland have been terrorized hy
numerous murders, assaults and rob
beries, both at day and night. The po
lice have been powerlesB. The assaults
upon the Japanese, however, were not
made, in my Judgment, with a view of
robbery, but rather from a feeling of
racial hostility, stirred up possibly bv
newspaper accounts of meetings that
have been held at different times rela
tive to the exclusion of Japanese from
the United States.
"While the sentiment of the state of
California, as manifested by the public
utterances of the Japanese and Corenn
Exclusion league, by articles In many
of the leading newspapers In the state,
by declarations of the political parties
In their platforms, and bv the passage
of a joint resolution by the state legis
lature on March 7, 1905, Is In favor of
the exclusion of Japanese coolies, yet
the overwhelming sentiment In the state
Is for law and order and for the pro
tection of Japanese in their persons and
their property.
"The chief of police of the city of San
Francisco, as also the acting mayor ot
the city, assured me that everything
possible would he done to protect the
Japanese subjects In San Francisco, and
they urgently requested thnt all cases
of HisRuIt and all violations of law af
fecting the Japanese be at once reported
to the chief of police.
"I Impressed very strongly upon the
acting mayor of the city, as also upon
the chief of police, the gravity of the
sltuntton, and told them that, as offi
cers charged with the enforcement of
the law and the protection of property
and person, you looked to them to see
that all Japanese subjects resident In
San Francisco were afforded the full
protection guaranteed to them by our
treaty with Japan.
"If, therefore, the police power of San
Francisco is not sufficient to meet trie
situation and guard and protect Japan
ese residents In San Francisco, to whom
under our treaty with Japnn we guar
antee 'full and perfect protection for
their persons and propenty, then, if
seems to me, It Is clearly .the duty of
the Federal government to afford such
protection. All considerations which
may. move a nation, every consideration
of duty-4n the preservation of our treaty
obligations, every consideration prompt
ed by '50 , years orunore of . close friend
ship with the empire 6f Japan,'" would
unite In demanding, It seems to me, of
the United Stntes government and all
Its people, the fullest protection and the
highest consideration for the subjects ot
Japan." : s
Fonr rich Nebraskans have been con
victed of land frauds.
Oregon minerB will ask the next leg
islature for a state mining inspector.
Railroad men and shippers attribute
much of the far shortage to excessive
prosperity.
Creditors of Zion City are making
strenuous efforts to get affairs of the
Dowie city settled.
The pope has sent a protest against
the French church policy to all the
papal representatives abroad.
The San Francisco school board ac
cuses Roosevelt of meddling and mis
representation in the Japanese ques
tion. C. A. Prouty, of Vermont, member
of the Interstate commission, says
freight rates will soon be reduced all
over the country.
Hilary Herbert, ex-secretary of the
Navy, says the president did nothing
more in the discharge of the negro
troops than Grant and Lee both did.
The Chinese famine is growing
worse.
There is a move to put a British
prince on the Servian throne.
All Italian shipping has been tied up
by the general strike of seamen.
At Norflok,N eb., the temperature is
3 below 2ero with coal at $20 per ton.
. Japanese warships will avoid San
Francisco for a time lest the Maine dis
aster recur. .
A mining exchange has been organ
ized in Chicago in connection with the
board of trade.
Germans are confident of a tariff
agreement between their country and
the United States.
A fuel famine is on at Phoenix, Ariz.
There is no oil and the gas and electric
plants have shut down.
, Governor Mead has appointed a spe
cial committee to investigate the short
age of coal in Washington.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Butter Fancy creamery, 3035c.
Eggs Oregon ranch, 35c per dozen.
Poultry Average old hens, ll12c
per pound; mixed chickens, ll12c;
spring, ll12c; old roosters, 9llc;
dressed chickens, 14 15c; turkeys,
live, ..17 17c; turkeys, dressed,
choice, 2022c; geese, live, 10c;
ducks, 1516c.
Fruits Apples, common to choice,
5075c per box; choice to fancy, $1
2.50; pears, $1 1.50; cranberries,
$11.50 12.50 per barrel ;. persimmons,
$1.50 per box.
Vegetables Turnips, 90c$l per
sack; carrots, 90c$l per sack; beets,
$1.25(1.50 per sack; horseradish, 9
10c per pound; sweet potatoes, Z
2c per pound; cabbage, 11c
per pound; cauliflower, $1.25 per doz
en; celery, $44.50 per crate; lettuce,
head, 30c per dozen; onions, 1012c
per dozen; pumpkins, ljc per pound;
spinach, 4 5c per pound; squash 1
Deeper pound.
Onions Oregon, 75c$l per hun
dred. Potatoes Oregon Burbanks, fancy,
$11.10; common, 7585c.
Wheat Club, 6566c; bluestem,
6768c; valley, 6667c; red, 63c.
Oats No. 1 white, $2526; gray,
$24.5025.
Barley Feed, $2121 .50 per ton;
brewing, $22.50; rolled, $22.5024.
Rye $1.401.45 per cwt.
Corn Whole, $26; cracked, $27 per
ton.
Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $11
12 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy,
$1416; clover, $78; cheat, $7.50
8.50; grain hay, $7.508.50; alfalfa,
$11.50; vetch hay, $77.50.
Veal Dressed, b8c per pound.
Beef Dressed bulls, l2c per
pound; cows, 4 5c; country steers,
55.
Mutton Dressed, fancy, 8 9c per
pound: ordinary, 67c.
Fork Dressed, 68c per pound.
Hops Ill5c per pound, according
to quality.
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
1318c, according to shrinkage; Val
ley, 2023c, according to fineness; mo
hair, choice, 2628c.
7n the national halls of congress
Thursday, Dec 20.
Washington, Dec. 20 Senator For
aker occupied tho attention of the sen
ate in its last session before the holiday
recess today in an extended criticism
of the basis of the piesident's action
in discharging tho negro troops of the
Twoilty-fifth Infantry on account of the
Brownsville raid. He was replied to
briefly by Lodge, while Scott sustained
the demand of the Ohio senator for a
full investigation of the matter by the
senate military committee. . A resolu
tion declaring frsuch an investiga
tion is before the senate for action at
its.next meeting.
Washington,' Doc. 20. After being
in session for threerquartors of an hour
today, the house adjourned ' until Janu
arys, 1907. Empty desks greeted the
speaker when tho house convened, and
the desire to get away for the holidays
was superior to the inclination for busi
ness. .'"".
Mondell, of Wyoming, succeeded in
passing" the bill extending to May 15,
1907, tho time in which entrymen may
make final Settlement on the ShoHhone
Indian reservation. Then Payne, of
New York, called up his resolution re
lating to the distribution of the presi
dent's annual message to the several
committees in accordance with a cus
tom that has existed since the founda
tion of the government.
The house passed the resolution and
adjourned at 12:45 p. m. A hundred
members waited to extend the season's
greeting to Speaker Cannon.
Wednesday, Dec. 19.
Washington, Dec. 19. President
Roosevelt's message dealing with his
action in dismissing from the army the
negro troops of the three companies of
the Twenty-fifth infantry furnished the
one topic of interest in the senate's ses
sion today. A lively debate followed
the reading of the message as to what
should be done with it.
Foraker wanted it sent to the 'mili
tary committee with instructions to
make further investigation, should the
committee deem it necessary. He said
that in reality much that appeared to
be testimony was not testimony, as
much of it was not under oath. On
objection from Clay, the senate post
poned action until tomorrow.
The pension calendar was cleared by
the passage of more than 200 private
pension bills.
At the suggestion of Senator Lodge,
President Roosevelt's Panama message
will be printed for the senate in "nor
mal" spelling. Kittredge secured the
adoption of an ordes for 20,000 copies.
j Washington, Dec. 19. In the house
today Lacey, of Iowa, took a pronounc
ed position in opposition to the adjourn
ment of congress for the Christmas hol
idays, declaring that "it is idiotic for
the house to adjourn and then jam all
legislation through under whip and
spur during the closing days."
Clark, of Missouri, declared that the
statement made by Lacey about the
idiocy of adjourning for the holidays
was the most sensible thing he had said
for the past 12 years.
After considerable discussion on a
proposed increase of clerks an absence
of a quorum was revealed and the house
adjourned.
Tuesday, December 18.
Washington, Dec. 18. The senate
today devoted nearly four hours to
consideration of unobjected bills on its
calendar. The result, was the passage
of a number of measures of minor im
portance. Among those passed was one
authorizing a government loan of $10,-
000,000 to the Jamsetown Tercenten
nial Exposition company, and another
providing for an investigation of the
industrial, social, moral, educational
and phyiscal condition of women and
child workres in the'United States by
the department of Commerce and La
bor. -The urgent deficiency appropria
tion bill was also passed.
Washintgon, Dec. 18. During the
session of the house today the Indian
appropriattion bill was passed practi
cally as it came from the committee on
appropriations. The early morning
session was devoted to the considera
tion of District of Columbia business.
The exodus of members has already
commenced for the Christmas holidays.
Monday, Dec. 17.
Washington, Dec. 17. A pictorially
illustrated message from President
Roosevelt portraying conditions as he
Was There Congo Lobby?
Washington, Dec. 19. Senator Pat
terson in a resolution has asked that
the charges by a New York newspaper
in relation to a lobby having been sent
to the United States at the last session
of congress to influence senators con
cerning Congo Free State legislation be
investigated by the senate committee
on foreign relations. The resolution
recites that the lobby is alleged to have
been maintained by a foreign govern
ment and that a consular official sent
communications to senators in an effort
to influence them.
found them on the isthmus of Panmu
during his , recent visit occupied the
senate during the greater portion of its
session today. Printed copies of tho
message, handsomely bound, were
placed on the desk of each senator anil
tho reading of the document was closely
followed. Preceding tho Panama mes
sage, tho . president's recommendation
respecting public lands and tho naval
personnel were received and read.
The 'senate agreed to the holiday ad
journment resolution and will be in re
cess from the end of the session Thurs
day next until January 3.
Resolutions wero agreed to directing
an investigation by the department of
Commerce and labor of the Interna
tional Harvester company to ascertain
whether it effects restraint of trade;
also directing the senate - judiciary
committee to report what authority
congress may have under tho commerce
clause of tho constitution to prevent in
terstate commerce in child-made goods
Washington, Dec. 17. The house
began the last week before the Christ
mas holidays with a determination to
dispose of as much legislation as possi
ble, to make way for the more active
work which will devolve' on it when
congress again convenes. To this end
several small bills were passed under
suspension of the rules. The Indian
appropriation bill was taken up and 15
of the 57 pages completed when it was
laid aside for tho president's message
concerning the Panama canal, which
consumed more than an hqur in its.
reading, being listened to by a large
number of members.
The pictorial feature of the message
afforded an opportunity for good na
tured comment, the innovation of cut
in a state paper being looked on with
favor. Messages from the president on
public lands and the naval personnel
were also read.
State Rights In Australia.
Sydney, N. S. W., Dec. 20. Joseph
Hector Carruthers, premier of New
South Wales, has entered a strongly
worded protest against any interference
on the part of the imperial common
wealth in the rights of the state gov
ernments in state affairs. He declares
that the Australian states declined to
permit Alfred Deakin, the prime min
ister of the commonwealth, to speak
in their behalf, and that any resolu
tions adopted at the colonial conference
concerning state matters would be ig
nored unless the individual states were
represented.
Fulton Looks Out for Counties.
Washington, Dec. 20. Senator Ful--ton
today secured the promise of the
senate public lands committee to
amend the bill repealing the timber
and stone act so that 20 per cent of
the receipts from the sales of public
timber shall be paid to counties in
which the timber is cut. This is in
lieu of taxes. The bill provides that
hereafter public timber not in forest
reserves can only be acquired by pur-
; chase at not' less than its appraised
value.
North Dakota Has No Coal.
St. Paul, Dec. 18. A special to the
Despatch from Grand Forks, N. D.,
says that the fuel situation today pre
sents the most critical condition that
has existed in the history of the state.
Careful inquiry in every portion of the
northern half of the state shows that
there is not a town in which coal could
be had to supply immediate needs and
in dozens of places there is not a pound
to be bought, the dealers having beea
out of fuel for days and weeks.
Opposes Blanket Increase.
Washington, Dec. 19. Representa
tive Littauer, a member of-the commit
tee on appropriations, talked with
President Roosevelt today on the ques
tion of increasing the salaries of gov
ernment employes. The president is
understood not to favor a blanket in
crease of 20 per cent, although he is
said to feel that there are many men
in the government service who deserve
more than they are receiving.
Pay Lawmakers By the Day.
Washington, Dec. 18. Representa
tive Gaines introduced a bill today
providing that senators and representa
tives shall receive $13.75 a day, their
pay to be deducted from their salaries
for each day they fail to attend sesr
sions. The sickness of members or
illness in their families are the only
valid excuses.
May Agree on One Classif cation.
Chicago, Dec. 19. An effort is to
be made by the railroads to obtain a
universal and systematic classification
of freight in response to the demands of
the shippers and to the suggestions of
the Interstate Commerce commission.
The first step in this direction w S
taken by the Central Freight associi
tlon, which has asked the Eastern lines
to join it in considering the question .
The plan is to appoint committees
which will confer together and see if a
uniform classification cannot be agreed
upon.