THE YELLOW PERIL
How the Japanese Crowd Out the White Race.

There will doubtless be opposition to the exclusion of the Japanese. A little bit of it will come from emotional people, on what they imagine to be ethical grounds, but in the main the opponents of the movement will be those who are perfectly confident of their own ability to sustain themselves under any competition, and desire to employ gang labor. Except in household service the Japanese are not yet displacing white labor in cities to any great extent, except as they work upon their own account, as small merchants, cobblers, gardeners and similar occupations. In starting these independent occupations of their own they are far more alert and aggressive than the Chinese. And when they enter an industry the white men have to leave it. An Alameda correspondent says that the Japanese have taken possession of the shoe repairing business in that city to the exclusion of white men. The white shoemaker, as a rule, has a family and a home. The Japanese, as a rule, has neither. Freed from those expenses he can and does do work at prices which get the trade, and the white man is driven out. The market gardening industry has to some extent been occupied by Chinese, but in the main it has been held by white men, mostly Europeans, accustomed to spade culture, but having in them the making of good American citizens. In some places this is rapidly passing to the Japanese, because their living expenses are nominal. With no idle mouths to feed they herd in old shacks, and can exist and lay up money where any white man will starve.

What is already happening in a few places will happen everywhere if the invasion is not stopped. If it be true, that the Japanese have driven the white shoe repairers out of Alameda, for example, can any one suggest what will prevent them from driving the white men out of that and similar occupations in every other city in America? Like causes produce like results. It is only a question of time. By acting now, while the numbers are still small, we can act calmly, discussing the subject with the Japanese Government in the most friendly spirit, with the view to the best interests of both races. By waiting until a great part of the mischief has been done we simply invite the passion, the rioting, and the bloodshed which is absolutely certain to follow, and a settlement of the question in the midst of international excitement and friction. One already hears of this Japanese invasion in all parts of the State--from Vacaville, Fresno, Visalia, the Sierra fruit districts--everywhere. The settlements are not general. A spot here and a spot there is occupied as conditions happen to favor. They are getting possession of the gang labor generally--on the railroads, in the beet fields and in the large orchard holdings. If it is not stopped there will be serious trouble, just as there would be trouble in Japan if Americans were invading Japan as Japanese are invading America. The only question is whether our authorities will act as the result of such quiet and passionless discussion as the "Chronicle" is conducting, or insist upon waiting until actual race warfare compels action.