In the period from 1897 to 1908, treaties were negotiated providing for extension of ex tradition (1906), for protection ofpatents (1897), and copyrights (1905 and 1908), and for arbitration of legal and treaty differences (1908, renewed in 1913).
Meantime, however, the character of rela tions was radically changed by events of the decade before 1908. After 1906, friction and strained relations were threatened by two groups of questions: (1) those relating to Japa nese emigration to America, and anti-Japanese agitation or legislation on the Pacific coast; and (2) those relating to American-Japanese riv alry in Asia and the Pacific (including the coasts of Latin America). An anti-Japanese movement in California, originating in eco nomic and social differences and becoming more pronounced by the rapid increase of Japanese immigration after 1906, culminated in a violent agitation (in 1906-07) for exclusion of Japa nese laborers under a regulating clause of the treaty of 1894, and placed the Washington gov ernment in a very uncomfortable situation. A crisis was averted (in 1907-08) through ex change of notes resultingin an agreement for J restricting through the passport sys tem the emigration of Japanese to the United States.
Closely related to this agitation, and even a more dangerous element in threatening a diplo matic crisis was the ordinance of the San Fran cisco Board of Education, issued in the autumn of 1906, requiring segregation of Japanese, Chi nese and Korean children in an Oriental school. This measure was later essentially modified through the influence of President Roosevelt whe disapproved it and co-operated with the Japanese government in reducing the agitation by the friendly informal understanding of 1907-08 under which Japan undertook, by refus ing passports, to restrict emigration of laborers to the United States —thus meeting the Califor nia demand and at the same time saving Japa nese pride.
In 1907 the President under authority of the Immigration Act of that year, excluded from continental territory of the United States, per sons having passports for American insular possession, for the canal zone, or for other countries. In a new treaty of 1911, supple
menting that of 1894 and omitting the clause in regard to the regulation of immigration of la Japan agreed to maintain the limitation of emigration of laborers as exercised in the preceding three years.
Relations were again strained in 1913 by proposed, legislation in California for prevent ing certain classes of aliens from holding lands in the State. The legislation as passed was materially modified by permitting agricultural leases—following a conference of the Governor with Secretary Bryan who was sent to Cali fornia by President Wilson to present views on the international question involved and the Washington government maintained that as modified, although it reflected local economic competition, it preserved all rights under the treaty of 1911; but it was still regarded by Japan as an act involving unjust racial discrimi nation.
Perhaps the crux of the Japanese question in the United States is naturalization— to prevent discrimination. The question of the position of Japanese already lawfully residing in the United States—an issue distinct from immi gration—has proved most perplexing. Al though, under treaties they have had the rights of citizens of the most favored nation, they have been ineligible to citizenship and, beyond rights protected by treaty, have been at the mercy of unfriendly legislatures restricting their privi leges. With a view to settlement of the ques tion, in December 1906, President Roosevelt recommended to Congress the enactment of a law specifically providing for naturalization of resident Japanese who might desire American citizenship; but the time was inauspicious for consideration of the question. Rightly or wrongly, Japan thinks that inasmuch as she has shown herself conciliatory and accommo dating in the matter of immigration, it should be the duty of the authorities and leaders at Washington to make honest efforts to extend citizenship to the Japanese now here and thus shield them from the whimsical legislation of the various States' which if not curbed may eventually produce a most critical situation.