Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-27

sage UOudy Dy
@ lett from President Roosevelt was as Z.
q follows: &
@ ''White House, Washington, Jan. 26: &
@ Hon j. n. GilIett, governor of Cali (.
% fornia, SacramentO-WiIl mail you G
@ full letter on legislation tomorrow. &
81 This letter will set forth why we think {
@ that the only bill that is proper is that &
% relating to the ownership of real prop &
g erty by aliens with the amendments G
@ suggested by Secretary Root G
50 II most cordially thank you for your &
q attitude and for the service you are 6
g thereby rendering, not only to Cali &
q fornia, but to the entire nation. 6
@ THEODORE ROOSEVELT" (.
@~@@@@4@~~~~@11~911~a1@~@~
q OACRAMENTO, Jan. 26.-With a
~ warning against any anti-Japan-
csc legislation and the recommen-
dation that the labor commissioner be
given money to take a census Of the
Japanese in the state, Governor James
N. Gillett sent a special message to
the legislature today.
After stating that the bills intro
duced by Assemblyman A. N. Drew OF
Fresno, Senator J. B. Sanford OF
Ukiah and Assemblyman Grove l.
johnson of Sacramento are causing
serious agitation both here and in
Japan and have been the subject of
an address to the national authorities
by the Japanese government, the gov
ernor reviews the negotiations between
The two powers to stop immigration.
The members of both branches sat
silent while the message was being
read and there was no demonstration
at its conclusion.
Gets Another Telegram
The governor this afternoon received
another telegram from President
Roosevelt stating that letter is on
the way.
The governor said he did not know
the nature of the communication, but
1T probably deals with the Japanese
question and will throw more. light
upon negotiations between Japan and
the United States.
Governor GilIett's message today
had the effect of crystaIliZing the SEN
timent for and against the bills by
Drew and Johnson against which
President Roosevelt has invoked all
his power.
The president informed the governor
that it would be extremely dangerous
for the legislature to enact any laws
that might be construed by Japan as
discriminatory. He wired Governor
Gillett today that another letter was
on the way and this is expected to
throw more light upon the exact sit
uation between Japan and America.
Grove L. Johnson, author of the bill
segregating Japanese in residential dis
tricts at the option of municipalities,
moved today when the measure came
up for third reading that it be made
a special order for tomorrow.
Thus two of the anti-Japanese
measures will be before the lower
house at that time and the fight, if
any develops, will decide the whole
issue.
Drew Is Insistent
The bill by A. n. Drew, denying
aliens the right to hold land, was set
for consideration then at the request
of the author, after the governor had
indicated that he desired such legisla-
tion held up.
Speaker Stanton and the assembly
organization are against all of the bills
objected to by the administration. The
fight for them will come from Grove
L. Johnson, the San Francisco dele
cation and assemblymen who have
great numbers of union labor constit-
uents.
Stanton said:
"The governors message was con-
servative and should be needed by the
legislature. The federal authorities
are more able to cope with the situa-
ton than We"
The controversy over the abolish
ment of race track gambling in the
state was the occasion for the first
personal encounter of the session this
morning when Senator Savage of Sar
Pedro denounced E. A. Dickson, a Los
Angeles newspaper man, from the floor
of the senate and later struck him
when they met in the postoffice in the
rear of the senate chamber. Senator
Savage's complaint against Dickson
was that he had written an article
aIigning him with the race track SEN
ators against the Walker Otis bill.
The hearing of the public morals
committee on the race track bills will
be held Thursday night instead OF
Wednesday, as previously scheduled
The governors message in full is as
follows:
Considers 1t Serious
To the senate and assembly of the state OF
California:
There is certain legislation now pending be-
fore you which believe TO be of grave con-
Germ, not only to our state, but to the nation
well, and which should be most thought
fully considered before being acted on.
Ordinarily, I believe there should be No
executive interference with the will of the
legislature, nor any attempts made to influ-
ence it in the enactment of laws, because
yours is coordinate branch of the govern
ment, and the people of this state by Their
constitution, have delegated to you the power
and authority of enacting those laws which
are to govern them, and have vested in the
executive only the power of veto, and the
right to recommend such matters as he NAV
deem expedient.
The enactment of any law is grave re-
sponsibility, and when you are considering
measures which not only affect our own peo-
ple but may affecte the policies of the ma
tion and involve it in trouble with a friendly
power then you called upon to proceed
with great caution; to weigh carefully every
step taken, and to do nothing but what youl
conscience and best judgment dictate look
ing not only to the welfare of the state, but
to the interests of the general government
as we'll
Would Assist Lawmakers
And it is because I believe that you are
confronted with such a situation that
address this message to you. hoping that
may be able to help you properly to solve
those matters to which I shall herein refer
expecting you to take such action as will ap-
peal to your own judgment of what is the
right and proper thing to do under all the
circumstances-both as it affects the state and
nation.
Certain bills have been introduced, some
of which have been favorably reported by your
committees, indirectly intended to affect the
Japanese people-at least, such is the impress
sion abroad.
These bills have attracted the notice of the
whole nation, and have caused Japan to cal
the attention of our government to them
They have produced agitation, not only
in our own country, but throughout Japan
and the Japanese minister of foreign affairs
has stated to the authorities at Washington
that If the bills should be passed the govern.