Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-28
LEGISLATURE TO
AWAIT MESSAGE
FROM PRESIDENT
ANTl-JAPANESE MEASURE DE-
LAYED ONE WEEK
EXPLANATION FROM WASHING.
TON COMING BY MAIL
suHragettes Are Confident Of Victory.
Race Track Bill Is in Committee.
Effort Made to Have Mikado's
Consul Recalled
Especial to The Herald

-
~ of agitation throughout the state
over the question of enactine laws
to deprive Japanese of the privilege of
owning land Or to become members of
corporations and live wherever they
please in the various. communities the
state assembly today decided nearly
unanimously to postpone action on the
bills for one week.
No conclusion will be reached on tho
action to be taken next Wednesday un-
til the letter of President Roosevelt ar
rives
Governor Gillett received a telegram
from the president congratulatine him
and the legislature upon the considera-
ton they had given the governments
request for delay, and stating that a
| letter explaining the situation was on
the way and might be made public if
the governor so desired
This letter should arrive Monday or
tuesday, and according to Governor
Gllletts statement tonight will be given
out for publication.
The fact that the long expected storm
would not break today developed this
morning before the assembly was called
TO order, A. M. Drew, author of the
bill prohibiting aliens holding land, is
using statement that he had agreed to
| put the matter over until next Wednes-
day, when, in accordance of the request
OF the state department, he would so
amend his bill that all aliens would be
| denied property rights, thus allaying
the administrations fear that discrinl-
| 1nation against the Japanese would re-
| suit in serious complications
Grove L. Johnson, author of the alien
| corporation and segregation bills, re-
| luctantly agreed to do the same with
| his measures, and a vote was not
forced.
Johnson and the members of the San
n 1VOSaic 1n1O
however, on the passage of the bills
| without amendment
Again in Conference
| Governor GiIlett and Assemblyman
Drew held another conference late this
| afternoon, at which it was agreed the
| question should be dropped until the
| receipt of the letter from the president.
| In the senate there has been even
less friction with the governor than in
| the lower branch.
| Senator ]. B. Sanford,s who, early in
! the session, introduced a bill similar to
| DreWs decided today to give up the
| fight, advancing the theory that if anti
| Japanese measures were forced to an
! issue, President. Roosevelt would send
| a special message to congress asking
that the Nipponese be given the right
to become citizens
! Senator Marc Anthony of San Fran
| ing upon congress to ask the mikado to
recall the Japanese imperial consul
| general on the ground that he had
J sought to block legislation against his
! countrymen by appealing to the gov
ernor
! In connection with this the governor
stated that congress might as well ask
| the recall of the minister at Washing
! ton when he calls upon the president
in regard to a diplomatic matter.
! Much routine business was tran
! sacted in both houses and numerous
| commmittee meetings We're held TO
! advance the huge task of segregating
the wheat and the chaff in the 1900
| bills now being considered by them.
| AT meeting of the senate judiciary
| committee it was decided to appoint q
/ committee of three consisting Of
! Wright. Curtin and Miller, to investi-
! gate the question of whether proba-
| tion officers should be appointed by
! judges or by probation committees.
Letter from GiIIett
Mr. Drew will amend his measure to conform,
to the wishes of the federal government
Drew received the following letter from the
| governor yesterday:
l am inclined to think that the best possible
law that be passed on the question of
alien ownership Of land would be the law
adopted by Oklahoma. You will find it in the
session laws of the state of Oklahoma 1907
and 1908. The book is on file in the state
library. The act is on page 4S1.
|. Il would strike out of the first line the words
who is not citizen of the United States
because that is useless. No alien is a citizen
of the United States.
Then notice the second line of section .
instead Of having devise the word is device
Il suppose this must be a typographical
error. To this bill might be added the Iasr
section of your BILL extending the time in
which leases can be given-so many years on
agricultural property and so many years on
city property. I think year is rather
short inasmuch as this would apply to all
aliens alike 1 would be reasonable as to the
length of time for which leases should be
granted.
Il am also of the opinion that President
Roosevelt and Secretary Root would agree that
this bill would be all right-in fact 1 have
kilograms from them which would Indicate
such to be the fact. OF course the question
whether or not it would be policy to pass an
alien law in this state is something that the
legislature would have to consider, but if such
believe that one like the Oklahoma law prob
ably would be the best
yours very truly, ~. N. GILLETT"
Mr.. Drew's Reply
''Dear Governor Gillett:/Your esteemed IA
of the 26th inst. is before me, and I can
assure you that L appreciate the spirit in
which you have considered the alien land bill
presented by myself in the assembly 1 am
strictly in accord with the changes you sug-
gest.
"The words who is not a citizen of the
United States are surplusage and could easily
have been left out but they are found in both
the Illinois and Oklahoma laws
Il am glad the president takes the view
that he does, and you may rest assured shall
work in harmony with yourself
However, 1 & it advisable that some
law should be ed at this session Of the
legislature. I II X it will be wisdom on our
part to take this step. and surely our neighbor
Japan cannot complain long as the bill is
applicable to ali aliens alike. I will submit to
you draft of the amended bill as soon as I
can get it in shape.
yours very truly, ga M DREW
The assemblyman's request to postpone ac-
tion on the bill was made in order that he
might prepare such amendments as would he
acceptable to President Roosevelt
The governor received the following teIe-
gram from the president this forenoon:
white House. Washington, ID. c. Jan ~
Hon. j. N. Gillett, Governor of California:
I must again express from the standpoint of
all our people my appreciation of the great
service that you rendering
''I have absolute and entire faith in the
patriotism of the people of the great sta+a ~