Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/159

THEODOM: ROOSEVELT 123 unions took in the matter in 1906, when the Mayor of San Francisco excluded Jagfenese children from the public schools. The labor unions have become a worse enemy to California than the Southern Pacific railroad, and the advantages which they took over a prostrate community at the time of fe]0 earthquake in 1906 are almost unparalleled in bestial greed. But the only point which can be touched on here is, that in his message of Djecem- ber 3, 1906, to the 59th Congress^M^Roosevelt declared that the Japanese in San Francisco should be treated justly and their rights must be enforced. Much excitement was caused in California by this declaration, and various inquiries, law-suits and investigations followed, bringing out, among other facts, that the school question was of far less im portance than had been represented only ninety- three Japanese scholars being in the schools and that there had been attacks and boycotts of Japanese restaurants and citizens. Our treaty of 1893 with Japan had assured that nation a favor able treatment for its citizens during their stay in this country. Some interviews between authorities from California and the White House followed, some adjustments were made, and whatever irrita tion the newspapers of Japan and America had fomented was allayed by Mr. Taf t when he visited Japan on his important journey round the world in 1907. In November of that year, Baron