TROUBLE CAUSED BY JAPANESE QUESTION

Immigration Inspector C. W. Snyder of Los Angeles, Says Orientals Are to Blame For Much of Bad Feeling.

In the opinion of Charles W. Snyder, veteran immigration officer of Los Angeles, Cal., the Japanese question in the southern state will continue to annoy the nation for a long time to come and many things must happen before it will finally be solved.

The Japanese themselves are mainly responsible for the irritating condition of affairs in California, declares Snyder. Their autocratic and overbearing manner and their constant attempts to violate the immigration laws is one of the causes of the antagonism and hostility shown toward the Orientals, says Snyder.

Many Japanese Come In.

"The Japanese are coming into California in great numbers in every possible way," said Inspector Snyder today. "It is possible that California has between 30,000 and 40,000 Japanese. They are taking the land wherever they can get it, going into the small gardening and fruit growing business and seeking employment in all possible lines, but in such numbers as to arouse the hostility of not only the labor unions, but all others as well, including small tradesmen, gardeners and the like."

Probably no immigration official on the Pacific Coast is as thoroughly acquainted with the Japanese character as Inspector Snyder, who, during the greater part of the past sixteen years, has been in the service on the Coast. He was appointed in 1891, during the administration of President Harrison, left the service during Cleveland's administration, was reappointed when President McKinley took office in 1897, and has held his position continuously since that time.

Snyder has handled thousands upon thousands of Japanese coming into this country. He said:

Seek to Evade Law.

"Under the new law, Japanese cannot come into this country from Hawaii. Mexico or British Columbia upon the passports issued them originally when they leave Japan. Hundreds of Japanese have therefore sought to evade the law and cross the boundary line between Mexico and California, the result being that the government has been put to great trouble and expense in picketing the frontier with immigration inspectors so as to keep out the contraband Japanese.

"Since the Russian-Japanese War, Japanese character has changed remarkably. They have become overbearing and autocratic and by their actions and conduct appear to believe that they have every right in the world to exploit the Pacific Coast for their own benefit and advantage.

Arouse Hostility.

Leaving out of consideration the correctness of their attitude, it cannot be denied, and it would be foolish to overlook the fact that this attitude of the Japanese arouses the bitterest hostility on the part of the white citizens of California, and will continue to do so until some fortunate solution of the problem is reached.

"The labor question is the big question in California, and as long as the labor unions are strongly organized they will continue to combat Japanese labor and the situation in California will continue to be a source of trouble for some time yet to come."