Your TR Source
President Roosevelt notifies President Walsh of the San Francisco Board of Education that he is “pleased by the news,” the lawsuit will be discontinued, and the immigration order issued.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-13
President Roosevelt congratulates Governor Norris on the prevention of discriminatory school segregation legislation against Japanese students. Roosevelt assures Norris that he will work to exclude Japanese laborers from immigration while maintaining a peaceful relationship with the Japanese government.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-14
President Roosevelt sent his March 9 letter to Governor Gillett before he learned that the California state legislature had passed a bill discriminating against Japanese in schools. Roosevelt expresses his displeasure with this bill because it undermines the agreement that he and Secretary of State Root had already established with California politicians, San Francisco mayor Eugene E. Schmitz, and the San Francisco Board of Education. The bill will make federal negotiations for excluding Japanese labor class immigrants more difficult.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-11
President Roosevelt instructs Attorney General Bonaparte to have the suit against the San Francisco Board of Education dismissed once the board adopts the resolution.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt encloses a copy of a telegram for Secretary of State Root. San Francisco Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz “is a game man and has acted like a trump.” Roosevelt ordered the lawsuit to be dismissed as soon as the San Francisco Board of Education adopts the resolution.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt thanks San Francisco Mayor Schmitz and congratulates the people of California and the United States. Upon the Board of Education’s adoption of a resolution, he directed dismissal of the lawsuit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt pens his son Kermit Roosevelt with updates about the family’s activities over the previous weekend, including rides on the presidential yacht and hikes with Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He is especially gushing about his wife, and Kermit’s mother, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s aptitude for physical activity and general intelligence. Roosevelt goes on to describe his trouble responding to the San Francisco Board of Eduction’s attempt to remove Japanese students from schools. He believes that the general distain for the Japanese among Americans on the Pacific Coast, stemming from labor disputes and racism, is to blame. Congress’ refusal to fund new fortifications in Hawaii and the Philippines has added to Roosevelt’s woes in the region.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-04
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-02