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The Japanese question

The Japanese question

This article, published in The Outlook, seeks to present the principles which “should, and eventually will, determine the whole question of the treatment of the Oriental races in this country.” Considering specifically the case of California, where Japanese children were being excluded from public schools, the article highlights three issues: the prerogative of the states to control and make decisions about public schooling, the right of the Federal Government to determine who may enter into the country, and the power of Congress to make naturalization laws to determine who may become a citizen. After explaining these, the article then applies them to the situation in California.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-29

Letter from Victor Howard Metcalf to Theodore Roosevelt

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

Sargent sees grave peril in tide of Europe’s scum

Sargent sees grave peril in tide of Europe’s scum

Frank P. Sargent, Commissioner General of Immigration, warns against an “undesirable foreign element” threatening the country which he describes as “ignorance, illiteracy, and indifference to government.” Sargent believes that present immigration laws provide inadequate protection and suggests that immigration be limited by the implementation of an educational test.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-18