New-York tribune., 1909-01-20
PRESIDENT PROTESTS
IETI-J4P LEGISLATION.
CoGforpia Measures Viii Probably
Not Be Passed.

e.r,smento. Cal. Jan 1e,-President Roosev cit
+aren a hand in the anti-Japanese legislation
= before the California Legislature and has
.Ee5 the Governor TO take steps to have all egis-
t.iob held lIp until the President can be heard in
.+e matter. This request embodied in a tele-
-onbc dispatCh Saturday, and A letter is
fop- on its wav to Sacramento which will give the
-b,ef F1ec7Itiyes views and wishes in the matter
~ legislation against the japanese.
President Rcosevelts teegraphic dispatch fol-
lcvs,
.5on James y. Gictt Governor of California
Sacramento. Cal
r, anti-Japanese legislation in CALIFORNIA; Legs
jsture Have written YOU at length on the subject
Earnestly hope that no progress Will be made on
Ellis until you have had chance to receive my
@ seii leaders of two houses nv knowiedse Of tbs
International situation particularly with reference
ssaes: :5 he Of incac,sb sarna 0 pr1Pofee t f
n California. well as TO the whole Union.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Governor Gillett sent the following reply:
Sacramento. Cal. January Is.
Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States
relegTapfic dispatch received. Have caused bills
70 be held up until | can hear from you. Copies of
"'e'' ]. y. GILLETT
According 10 a statement made tonight by Gov
-,or Cillett there viii be no legislation against
covernor authorized the following:
After confeTring with the leading members of
both branches Of the Legislature tonight, l am
c,nyinced that legislation directed against the
Japanese viii be enacted / am satisfied that the
reopje Of California. particularly the members
Of our Legislature, appreciate the efforts being
made by the federal government and the repre-
sentatives OF Japan TO stop emigration TO this
,rouutry OF Japanese lsborers. skilled and un-
skilled
There can be no doubt that the japanese gov
ernment is acting absolutely in good faith in its
endeavor 10 prevent its people emigrating to our
country and. in my judgment, II would be a seri-
GUS mistake while they are so doing 10 enact any
laws directed against the japanese people
This question IS in which the federal gov
eminent is particularly interested. and its wishes
shou5 ne carefully considered, and will be, i am
sure by the people OF this state"
A general understanding was reached tonight
by the leaders IN the Assembly regarding the ac-
ton 10 be taken tomorrow the Drew and
johnson bills. The bills have been made a special
order Of business for tomorrow a bitter fight
IS predicted.
The opponents Of the bills viii hold, as do Gov
error Gilett. Lieutenant Governor Porter and
Speaker Stanton that the japanese land bill would
keep foreign capitalists OF Europe well Asia
from Investing in California lands, thereby work
ing great harm.
The Drew measure prevents ownership OF prop
erty for more than years by aliens, and this
reported out Of committee favorabIy
to-day and was 10 have passed through the AS
senbly.
Besides the measures introduced bv Assemble
Drew, Assemblymen Grove L. johnson has
introduced two bills affecting Japanese The first
Of these specifies Japanese IN the already existing
act, which segregates Mongoan children IN the
public schools. At the time of the famous school
controversy the japanese declared that the act did
not apply 70 them. they refused to be classed
Mongolians. The second measure introduced by
Johnson seeks prevent alien from becoming
director in a corporation. Johnson also planned
io introduce q measure similar TO the Drew BILL
Grove L johnson, author Of three ant-Japanese
bills that will be bitterly opposed by the federal
government, declares he will pay no attention 10
Presidents request for delay He said today:
Il. for one. shall not give up the fight no mat
ter how many messages the President sends AS
member OF this Legislature. am going to do all
in nr power 20 these laws, giving the people
the relief they have the right TO expect"
Washington Jan. Is.-President Roosevelts letter
Governor Gillett dated January 1s follows:
My Dear Governor: an greatly concerned over
the snti-JaPanese bills which are apparently going
legislature They are in everv sense most un-
fortunate AT last We have in irst-class working
re we succeeded in getting through two years ago;
entre good faith- During the SIX months endng
October 81 last the total number OF Japanese who
has been 2o94 and the total number who have left
has been S2S1. IN other words. the whole object
neminally desired by those who wish TO prevent
The incoming OF Japanese laborers has been
achieved
More Japanese are leaving the country than
coming in and by present indications IN a very
few years the number Of Japanese here will be
no greater than the number OF Americans In
jaPan; that IS the movement will be as normal
in one case as in the other, which is just what we
desire. There is. therefore. shadow OF excuse
FOR action which will simply produce great irri-
tation and may result in upsettfng the present
agreement and throwing open the whole situation
again
These agitators have themselves 10 thank If
trouble comes from what they do. II there Is a
fresh influx Of Japanese hther. They hamper
efficiently accornplished-the agreement by peace
iuI means. and through the friendly initiative OF
the japanese government, TO keep Japanese I'M
migrants out Of The United States, save as Amer
10 get the Legislature realize the great unwls-
dom from the standpoint of the country at large,
and above all from the standpoint OF California OF
what is being done? Sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Although denial is made at the State Department
ard al the japanese Embassy that any formal pro-
test has been made TO this government against pro-
posed antiJapanese legislation in California. Yet IL
realized that the question is causing considerable
concern both in this country and in Japan, as is
evidenced by the dispatch sent by President Roose
Welt to Governor Gillett Of California the sub
ject and the editorials in japanese newspapers
The Japanese Embassy Is watching the progress Of
the legislation California with great interest.