The first census in the Philippines was taken in 1903, at which time there were 921 Japanese recorded. The total Japanese population, therefore, of those islands in 1916 was 8,454. This reckoning takes no account of births and deaths.

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CHAPTER XII

SITUATION ON THE PACIFIC COAST

In order to appreciate the real Japanese situation on the Pacific coast the reader should not only know the facts in regard to the number of arrivals, departures, literacy, sex proportions, marital conditions, and similar matters as given in the preceding chapter, but also their financial status, their proportions to other peoples, and particularly the readiness and success with which they adapt themselves to American life. An entire volume might well be given to a presentation of these facts.

We begin this study with a comparative table that throws much light on many questions concerning the economic situation.

JAPANESE FARMERS IN CALIFORNIA1

1 Taken from the report of the Dendo Dan, 1916.

Particular attention is drawn to the following facts disclosed in the foregoing table. While the Japanese in California constitute 2.7 per cent of the total population, a clear majority lives and works in the country. Of landowners Japanese constitute only 1.6 per cent, while of tenant farmers they constitute 35.2 per cent. The average value of the property owned by one farmer in California is $18,308, while that of the Japanese farmer is only $2,008. On the other hand, while the value of the average production of one farmer is $3,806, that of the Japanese farmer is $4,414.

It may be worth noting in this connection that besides Japanese and Americans engaged in farming there are representatives of many other races also,

such as Chinese, Mexicans, Armenians, Syrians, and others.

In regard to the crops, Japanese produce a large proportion of the vegetables ($9,685,145 out of a total of $25,850,000 worth), raise almost the entire berry crop ($1,652,000 out of $1,789,314), and produce $1,428,750 worth of asparagus out of a total of $3,100,000 worth.

The above table shows also those crops in the production of which Japanese take only a slight part, such as fruits, grapes, cereals, dairy and poultry products. Evidently, in spite of their relatively small population, Japanese are making a contribution of high value to the economic prosperity of California.

We are, however, primarily interested in the question of Japanese social adaptation to environment. What are the principles and also what are the facts?

The fundamental principles that control the Americanization of aliens from Europe hold also in the case of Asiatics. The matter is one of education. It is, indeed, more difficult for a Japanese or Chinese to master English than for a German or a Frenchman, and the process, therefore, of Americanization so far as the intellectual elements are concerned is correspondingly more difficult for an Asiatic than for most Europeans. On the other hand, it has been found that Japanese are especially diligent in learning English, many of them surpass

ing in their attainments many of the immigrants from Europe. Their natural handicap is in many cases more than overcome by their diligence and zeal.

The acquirement, however, of the emotional factor in Americanization has been peculiarly difficult for Asiatics. Many elements have combined in producing this situation, some of them due to the social inheritance of the Asiatics themselves; others due to the economic, personal, legislative, and social treatment they have received here. These elements have conspired to prevent the rise of those feelings of harmony, sympathy, and unity of the Asiatic alien with the American community and the nation which are essential to loyalty and to patriotism.

In spite, nevertheless, of intellectual, emotional, and even legal obstacles, the processes of Americanization have been going on among Asiatics in America. These facts of actual experience should be widely known, for they throw highly important light on the problems we are studying in this volume.

Let us first consider what has actually been taking place among thousands of Japanese adults.

The argument commonly urged is that Japanese not only do not wish to become American citizens, but that they could not do so even if for selfish or economic reasons they might wish to. For a Japanese, it is urged, is so devotedly loyal to his Emperor, whom he venerates and even worships, that it is not conceivable that he could desire to give up that