MACKENZIE COMES
IN FOR SCORCHING
Speakers Condemn Commissioners’
Report on Japanese Immigration
Demand Is Made That All Orientals
Be Excluded From California
San Francisco Call – July 6, 1910
Edited by O. M. BOYLE
The meeting last night in the Auditorium of the building trades council to protest against the alleged laxity of immigration Commissioner North in allowing Hindus to land and also to protest against the report and conclusions of Labor Commissioner MacKenzle on Japanese Immigration, was presided over by Supervisor John A. Kelly.
The first speaker was Senator Marc Anthony. He said that in the last 20 years California had experienced three invasions — the Chinese, the Japanese and lastly, the Hindus. The best interests of not only California, but the whole nation demanded that a halt should be called in oriental immigration.
Homer A. Craig of the farmers’ union of Santa Clara valley said that one of the reasons for instituting the union was to restrict foreign immigration. He said: “I don’t believe any considerable number of farmers in this state want more orientals; rather they are clamoring for white help. The farmers of Santa Clara county prefer white to oriental labor, but they must take the labor which is at hand when
the fruit ripens. By changing vacation time for school children the orchardists can give work to the children and thus keep the money paid out in circulation in this country. We can and will get along without more orientals.”
L. M. Herrin, member of the Fresno Farmers’ union, declared that oriental help had lowered the morals of our country. Like Maguire, he held that the day for large holdings of land had gone by and with it the need for any Asiatic labor.
James G. Maguire thought a better title for the labor commissioner would be, in view of his published report, a special agent of Asiatic help.
“If we want a system of civilization to serve special interests of the community,” said the speaker, “then the report is eminently correct. What we need is to encourage farms, orchards and vineyards of small holdings. Put 1,000 white farmers on one of our large ranches and the labor question is solved.”