New-York tribune., 1909-02-04
DREW BILL REJECTED
CONSERVATISM PREVAILS
IN CALIFORNIA.
Anti-Japanese Measure, Euen as
Emasculated, Defeated by
VOte of is to 28.

Sacramento. Cal, Feb 3.-After debate ex-
tending from II o'clock this morning until 8
p m. the Assembly by vote OF As to 2S re-
jected the bill drawn by A. NJ. Drew barring
aliens from ownership Of land in California
The bill had been amended at the request OF
President Roosevelt and Secretary Root. so that
the clause applying It TO Japanese only was
eliminated. making the bill apply to all aliens.
but the measure aroused such storm Of opposi-
tion that long before the debate closed by
Mr.. Drew it apparent that the measure
would be defeated
The result of to-day's contest is considered
fair test of the relative strength OF the two fan
tions in the Assembly and as foreshadowing the
defeat of all measures that would tend TO en-
barrass the national government in its relations
with Japan
In substance the objection to it was that It
would drive at least 81 900 100000 of foreign
capital out of the state and might jeopardize
the present friendly commercial relations with
Japan.
The supporters Of the bill contended that the
state being overrun by thrifty Japanese,
who were gradually gaining impregnable
position land owners and whose government
trying TO dictate to California regarding
legislation.
Two sensational speeches were made, one for
and one against the measure. Assemblyman
Grove L. Johnson. of Sacramento, ex- Congress
man and author of four bills segregatng Jap
anese in schools and residential districts and
preventing aliens being members of corpora
tions, made impassioned appeal for the en-
actnent Of the Drew bill. AT the climax of his
speech he walked backward from his seat to
the lobby rail and. Selling in his a golden
haired girl of three. held her aloft and declared
that he was in favor of this a opposed TO the
Japanese menace to our institutions"
Nathan G. Cole, OF San Francisco. who
elected with the Endorsement of the union labor
party. opposed the Drew bill on the ground that
it was in conflict with the state constitution.
that it was inimfcaI to union labor and that it
was not favored by the national administration.
which, he said, was dealing with a delicate
problem and should be supported by the people
of California
Dramatically confronting AssembIyman Drew
he said:
III President Roosevelt should throw open
the doors of this Assembly chamber and. laying
his hand on your shoulder. should request for
reasons of state that you withdraw this bill
you, Mr Drew, a patriotic citizen of the
United States. would assent without murmur."
This sally was received with great applause
In reply Mr.. Drew closing his argument for
the bill, declared that he had received a letter
from the President, in which the President stat
ed that he was not opposed to the bill, as it had
been amended at his request
In his opening remarks Mr.. Drew said that
already there were in California 10000 japanese,
most Of whom had belonged to the japanese
army. who could be modified at a moments
notice in case of hostilites-
Richard Melrose, Of Anahein. who had gath
cred statistics in opposition to the bill declared
that there were not more than %. 900 japanese in
California He quoted from statistics compiled
by the Asiatic Exclusion League to the effect
that there we're not more than seventy-f1ve Jap
anese property owners in the state.
Mr. Melrose. who spoke for Governor Gillett.
Speaker Stanton and other leaders in both
branches of the Legislature, counselled delay to
enable the State Labor Commissioner to take
census of the japanese
Mr. Stanton introduced recently at the re-
quest Of the Governor a bill appropriating S1O,-
coo for such a canvass. and as soon as the other
bills are disposed Of this bill will
be rushed to passage.
- Mr. Drew. with the permission of President
letter which he had received from the White
House under date OF January 27
My Dear Mr. Drew: ! thank you for your
frank and manly letter. Don't you think that
YOU can reach the goal for which you striv
ing and yet comply with Secretary Roots opin-
on? 1t seems to me you 1t would be a
pleasure to me TO see you here if you were able
to come to Washington. Sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"