The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-11

Sacramento. Feb. Io-After one % the
stormiest debates ever known at the
State capitol. the assembly late this aft
ernoon by a very close vote decided TO
reconsider Assemblyman Johnsons bill
providing for the segregation of japanese
pupils IN public schools. and then killed
the bill
This was accomplished largely through
the influence OF Gov. Gnlett ana Speaker
Stanton. Of the assembly. who had called
all the influential members into a con-
ference. and Iabo-ed TO convince them
that the passage Of any anti-Jspansss
bill II this time would result IN preiu-
dicins the whole country against CaiifOr-
MA. and might even lead to the revoca-
ton OF the exclusion law against Chinese.
The vote to reconsider the Johnson bill
was only IS 20 "a. and the hnsl vote on
the passage OF the bill was 4 noes and
81 ayes This strong support for the bill
was due mainly to the resentment against
President RooseveIt's interference in
State affairs
Not only Assemblyman johnson. but
many members who were Iukewarru to
ward his bin were wrought Up over the
lectlEing tone. which. they considered.
the President adopted in his teiegrars TO
Gov. Gillett and Speaker Stanton They
/ took the ground that the President should
( have adopted a more conciliatory tone,
and not addressed the legislature Ike an
! angry schOolmaster reprcving bad boys
Johnson Is Obdurate.
/ This morning AssembIymen Stanton.
Drew. OF Fresno, and Transue. OF Los
Angeles. called Assemblymsn Grove John
son into a conference and tried 10 con
vince him that he should EithdrzT his
lbiH Mr. Johnson proved obdurste. and
not only declared be wouSd not withdraw
his measure, but he would put I'D the
best fight possible 20 effect its final pas
sage should the majority vote TO recon
sider II
When the assembly met the large hall
was crowded with excited spectators Old
Grove johnson was 81 his desk early.
ready for action An effort vas made TO
have the anti-Japanese debate take place
in executive session. but this move was
promptly prevented
Mr. Trsnsue. OF Los Angeles, presented
the resolution to reconsider the Johnson
bill His resolution was very long. but
lit specified very plainly that the school
system Of California Is an institution &C
the State. control OF which, he declared.
had not been granted 70 Federal govern
ment He made long speech in support
Of his resolution. and among other things
he said:
All Reasons Not Tcld.
We have it from the highest authority
that the legislation proposed should not
be enacted. We cannot be told al OF
the reasons Why the bill should not be
passed, but We have been told enough.
The least We can do Is TO ooncede that
the government has good reasons for ask
ing that the bin be refused.passage."
Mr.. Young, OF Berkeley, urged that Cal
ifornla give the Federal government two
more years in which TO settle the Jap
anese question
Then followed an acrimonious debate
between members. some urging that the
bill be reconsidered and defeated in order
that the President be left with a free
hand. while others decreed that CalifoT-
MIA should rebuke President Roosevelt for
his Intervention, and decide her school
matter for herself without any diCtati0n
from the Federal government.
i Debate was prolonged until ? O'Clock.
and then taken up after recess. It was
O'Clock when a vote was finally de-
manded.