Speech #660283253

The substance of my talk wvas about like this: I hesitate to comply with the request to speak on what has been referred to as "the California question." as it may appear ungracious in a guest to present views on an important matter in variance with those of his hosts. But the very importance of the subject may overcome the consideration of courtesy. and in this case I believe that perfect frankness and honesty of statement. with a view to a full understanding of the reasons actuating the people of California. is justified. In the early days of California. as Viscount Shibusawa has stated. labor was scarce. and coolie labor from China was obtained. For a time it was very welcome. as it filled a pressing want. At that time. and for many years thereafter. there was no immigration from Japan. But in a few years the immigration of Chinese was so great that it became alarming. Shipload after shipload of Chinese came at shortening intervals. until it seemed that the Chinese population of California would exceed that of Americans. Then followed the antiChinese agitation. resulting finally in the enactment by the American Congress of the Chinese exclusion laws. of the wisdom and justice of which. personally. I entertained no doubt. The Immigration of Japanese in appreciable numbers did not commence until about 20 years ago. and it attracted no public attention until considerably later than that. -When it was proposed to extend the law excluding Chinese laborers to Japanese laorers. Japan had protested. and in lieu of such a law the socalled "gentlemens agreement" was entered into. under the terms of which the emigration of Japanese labor to the United States was guaranteed to ceaseto be prevented by the Japanese Government. It was the contention of California that the agreement had not been lived up to. especially in recent years. that there had been a marked increase in Japanese population in California was quite obvious. The census recently taken would give the facts relative to this contention in a short time.