The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-02-04
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY KILLS
MEASURE BARRING ALIENS
FROM HOLDING LAND.
FIERY DEBATE PROVOKED.
Opposition Argues That Enactment of
Proposed Law Would Drive a Bill
lion Dollars Of Foreign Capital From
State-Proponents Declare Brown
Men Are Overrunning State.

Sacramento, Cal, Feb. 3.-After
morning until p m, the assembly
rejected the bill drawn by A. M.
Drew. barring aliens from ownership
of land in California by vote of 40
to 2s The bill was amended at the
request of President Roosevelt ana
Secretary Root SO that the clause ap-
plying it to japanese only was elimi-
mated. making it apply to all aliens,
but the measure aroused such storm
of opposition that long before the de-
bate was closed by Mr.. Drew it was
appaTcnt that the measure would be
defeated.
In substance the objection to 1t
was that it would drive at least
$1,000, OOO, 900 of foreign capital out of the
state and might jeopardize the pres
ent friendly commercial relations with
Japan
The proponents of the bill contended
that the state was being overrun by
thrifty Japanese who We're gradually
gaining ali llPICSiiiDiS P''iNioA' ~
land owners and whose government
was trying to dictate to California re-
gardng legislation.
Sensational Speeches.
Two sensational speeches were
made, one for and one against the
measure. Assemblyman Grove L.
Johnson of Sacramento, 'eX-Congress-
man and author of four bills segregat-
ing Japanese in schools and residen-
tial districts and preventing aliens be-
ing members of corporations, made an
mpassoned appeal for the enactment
of the Drew bill. AT his climax he
walked backward from the seat to the
lobby rail and, seiZing in his arms
golden haired girl Of 3 years. held her
aloft and declared that he was "in
favor Of this as opposed to "the
Japanese menace to our institutions"
Nathan c. Coghlan of San Fran
cisco, who ives elected with the in
doresement of the union labor party,
opposed the Drew bill on the ground
that it was in conflict with the state |
constitution; that it was inimical to |
union labor, and that it was not fav-
ored by the national administration, |
which, he said, was dealing with a |
delicate problem and should be sup |
ported by the people of California
"Without a Murmur."
Dramatically confronting Assembly |
man Drew he said:
IF President Roosevelt should sud-
denly throw open the doors of this
assembly chamber and, laying his
hand on your shoulder, should re-
quest. for reasons of state, that you
withdraw this bill. Mr.. Drew as q pat
riotic citizen Of the United States
would accede without a murmur."
This sally was received with great
applause. In reply Mr.. Drew closed
his argument for the bill, declaring
that he had received a letter from the
president In which he stated that he
was not opposed to the bill as it had
been amended at his request
In his opening remarks this fore
noon Drew made the statement that
already there were in California 10000
Japanese, most of whom had belonged
to the Japanese army, who could be
mobilized at a moments notice in case
OF hostilities.
Gives Statistic.
Richard Melrose of Anahem, who
had gathered statistics in opposition
to the bill, declared that there were
not more than $4,000 Japanese in Cali
fornia He quoted from statistics
compiled by the Asiatic Exclusion
league to the effect that there were
not more than rs Japanese property
owners in the state. {
Mr.. Melrose, who spoke for Cover
nor Gillett, Speaker Stanton and
others in both branches of the legis-
lature, counseled delay to enable the
state labor commissioner to take a {
census Of the Japanese Mr.. Stanton ,
introduced recently at the request Of ;
the governor bill appropriating s1O,- i
600 for such a canvass, and as soon |
as the other anti-Japanese measures ,
are disposed of this bill will be rushed
to passage and the labor bureau will
begin its task. The object is to obtain
all the statistics possible, to be sub
mitted in the form of a report at the
next session.
Before Adjournment tonight Assem- t
niyman johnson asked that his bills r
be taken up the first thing in the y
iioi oiihiis' HIHltlng the DEBATE to 30 | J
minutes on each side. This was q
granted by the house G
Roosevelt Letter.
MI Drew, with the permission of G
President Roosevelt, maze public to- =
night the following letter which he /,
had received from the White House: -
The White Ho.ao. Washin gton.
jan 27-My Dear Mr.. 'ew: I thank
you for your frank and manly letter.
Don't you think that you can reach
the goal for which you are striving
and yet comply with Secretary Roots n
opinion? 1t seems to ME you can. It d
would be pleasure to me to see YOU II
II you are able to come to Washington :,
yours, y
THEODORE ROOSEVELT" :,