California. Supreme Court Archives - Theodore Roosevelt Center

Letter from Charles Dwight Willard to Theodore Roosevelt

Charles Dwight Willard sends Theodore Roosevelt newspaper clippings and a detailed letter criticizing the Los Angeles Times, its publisher, Harrison Gray Otis, and the political protection Otis allegedly receives. Willard discusses the recent indictment of Otis and two staff members for publishing indecent content, the moral and legal implications, the reaction of local authorities, and broader issues of press ethics, censorship, and home rule in California. He also comments on Associated Press bias, utility board rulings, and the political atmosphere in San Francisco.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-08

Creator(s)

Willard, Charles Dwight, 1866-1914

Letter from Victor Howard Metcalf to Theodore Roosevelt

Victor Howard Metcalf updates President Roosevelt about the tense situation growing between Japan and the United States over the segregation of Japanese children in schools. The California Supreme Court’s decision will be based on whether or not the treaty with Japan had a “most favored nation” clause. This will determine what the United States’, and thus California’s, obligation is to educate immigrant Japanese students in the same manner that it educates immigrant children from European descent, who are educated as if they were American children. United States District Attorney Devlin seems to think the clause was not included. This needs to be determined to decide whether or not segregating the students was in violation of the treaty. Metcalf notes hostility to the Chinese that is nearly as bad as towards Chinese immigrants and mentions that both parties are in support of legislation to restrict Japanese immigrants.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-02

Creator(s)

Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936