Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-24
JOHNSON FLAyS
ROOSEVELT FOR
JAPANESE LOVE
Scores Infringement
of States Rights
President and Federal Government
Are Charged with Trying to Make
California a Mere
Province
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 23.-The as
sembly today adopted a joint concur
rent resolution instructing the attorney
general to intervene in the suit brought
by the federal authorities in the United
States circuit court against the San
Francisco board of education for eX-
Guiding Japanese children from the
schools attended by whites and in
structed the attorney general to defend
the school board in that action.
Grove L. johnson made fiery speech
in support of his resolution in which
he arraigned President Roosevelt for
that part of his message to congress
in regard to the Japanese school ques-
tion in San Francisco, scored the Pres
ident and his cabinet for their atti-
tude in the matter and made a spirited
defense of the states rights.
Roosevelt Is Arraigned
In the debate that followed the in
PRODUCTION of assembly concurrent
resolution No. 8, by Grove l.. Johnson,
and which was made the special order
of business in the assembly, President
Roosevelt and the federal government
were bitterly arraigned as attempt
ing to infringe upon state rights. A
substitute introduced by AsSemblyman
Forbes to the effect that the question
at issue between the board of educa-
ton and the federal government places
in jeopardy not only the rights, in
terest and prerogatives of. the state of
California as a sovereign state in the
Union, but also those of her citizens,
was defeated.
Mr. Johnson, speaking before the as
sembly in favor of his resolution,
sharply arraigned the president for
that part of his message referring to
the San Francisco school question and
for his entire course in the matter.
"The trade of the orient is their
song" said Mr.. Johnson. Before the
rebellion is was, we will lose the trade
of the SOUTH Let the trade of the
orient Co. but let us preserve the rights
of the state of California to settle its
own school question
eff the president has his way the
state will become a mere province of
| a centralized power and the dream of
Alexander Hamilton will become true.
Courts very rarely decide against their
own jurisdiction. 1t is my experience
as a lawyer for forty years that the
courts lear the power that appointed
them.
'In the United States supreme court,
presidents in the past, and President
Roosevelt in particular, has an ally,
and this body will decide as he wants,
at least this has been the course of
procedure in the past"
Defends States Rights
Mr. Johnson made vigorous defense
of states rights and cited the steps
leading up to the Civil war.
81 call attention to these things at
this time" said Mr.. Johnson, mot be-
cause | am a pessimist and looking for
trouble, but because l think it neces-
sary to call a halt and use every legal
means to preserve the rights given us
by the federal constitution and preserve
the autonomy of the great state OF
California
The assembly passed a resolution in
troduced by Assemblyman Beckett pro-
viding for the appointment of legis-
lative committee to investigate the
shortage of coal in this state and as
certain the causes of the fuel famine,
but Speaker Beardslee refused to ap-
point the committee on the ground that
it was a federal question in winch the
state had no jurisdiction.
Assemblyman Johnson's joint concur
rent resolution regarding the Japanese
question in San Francisco, passed by
the assembly in the morning, was
passed by the senate in the afternoon
by vote of 2S to Z.
Two measures bearing upon the
Japanese situation, one of which is al
most sensational in its provisions. were
introduced in the assembly. one by
Grove L. johnson amends the statute
which provides for the segregation of
oriental children in the schools of this
state, so as to include the Japanese,
who in the existing law are not specif-
cally mentioned. This bill is practically
the same as was introduced in the
senate several days ago at the request
of City Attorney William G.. Burke OF
San Francisco.
The other bill, introduced by Drew of
Fresno would add section to the
civil code to read as follows:
mo alien who, under the laws of
the United States is not entitled to
become a naturalized citizen of this
state, shall acquire by occupancy, ac-
cession, transfer, will or succession
any real property or interest therein
in this state or shall any such alien
hold under lease any real property or
interest therein in this state for a
longer period or term than one year.
and any deed, devise or lease made
contrary to the provision of this act
shall be null and void
SCORES RoosEVELT'S THREAT
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