The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-11
After Pressure is EXertad The
 Bill is RGc0nsidered and Finally Rejected
HARD FIGHT IS WAGED
 BY PROMOTERS OF BILL
Assemblyman Grove L. Johnson Is Active In Defending the Measure, But Sentiment FaVors Sup
 port of Governor.

Sacramento, February 1O-Yielding to the pressure brought to bear by Pres ident Roosevelt and Gov. J. N. Gillett, the California assembly today reversed it's pre- vious position by reconsidering the former vote on the segregation of Japanese stu dents in the public schools and finally re- jecting the measure by vote of Al to 37 An effort by the supporters of the bill fur ther to consider was lost by vote of 3S to Ss, and the assembly is now clear of any Japanese measure objected to by the national administration.
 The fight for the suppression of the bill was won only after many hours of heated debate on the floor. The struggle started at 10S0 o'clock in the morning, on the presentation of a resolution by Assembly, man J. P. Transue of Los Angeles. af- firming the right of the state to govern it's schools. but withdrawing the Japa- nese segregation measure because of the Presidents objection to it, and lasted un- til o'clock in the afternoon, when Grove l.. Johnsons motion further to reconsider his defeated school segregation bill was defeated.
 The school bill is still to be considered in the senate, having been presented there by Senator A. c. Camenetti but there is little chance that the measure will be approved when brought up.
 GiIett's Opinion.
 T am highly pleased with the action of the assembly today" said Governor
  cerned in the measures pending here, and I feared that if the anti-Japanese legisla- ton wre pressed at this time 1t would have a disastrous affect
 | The antl-Japanese forces in the assembly were led today by Grove l.. Johnson, au- thor of the school segregation bill, on which the fight hinged, and Louis W. Juilliard, democratic floor leader. while the opposition was directed by Transue and Richard Melrose. Transues resolu- ton opened the debate and the fight was really made on this measure, the recon slderation motion not being put until there had been lengthy argument
 MT. Johnson repeated his defiance of the President and called on the assembly ito stand by it's guns" He was answered by Transue and Melrose, every phase of the question being reviewed.
 Transue suddenly withdrew his resolu- ton and the fight centered on the recon- sideration motion, presented by Walter Leeds of Los Angeles. This was finally forced to a vote and was carried 43 to 3i. The roll call on the bill itself immediate ly followed, and it was rejected by vote of fl to ST.
 Johnson was at once on his feet with a motion to reconsider
 Hl,f to and suited 3S to 3S, and the bill was dead.
 Census to Be Taken.
 Governor Gillett tonight said that the next matter to be taken up by the as- sembly would be the proposed appropria- tion of S1O,00O for the compiling of a census Of the Japanese in California. He said that if from the data gathered it were found necessary Congress would be urged to enact an Asatie exclusion measure.
 Under the agreement between Japan and our government" said Governor Gill lett "the former is pledged to restrict immigration as much as possible. If Japan had grounds for abrogating this arrangement and decided, in view of the unfriendly acts on the part of the Cali fornia legislature, to remove these re- strictions on the emigration of her peo- pie, all our ports would be open to the htter. If, then, we went before Con- gress and asked the east for support lor a general Asiatic exclusion law, the lat ter might advance the adverse argument that we had the situation well in hand at one time through federal negotiations and lost our advantage by the acts of our legislature against the wishes of the President and the Secretary of State"
 Messages Are Explanatory.
 Washington, February 10.-The follow ing telegrams were given out at the White House tonight without comment:
 "Sacremento, Cal, February 10, 1909. ''The President, Washington:
 "School segregation bill killed in the assembly today by vote of fl to S6
 U. N. GILLETT,'