The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-02-05
CALIFORNIA YIELDS
TO THE ADVICE OF
PRES. ROOSEVELT
LOWER HOUSE OF THE ASSEM-.
BLY, Rejects ANTI-ALIEN BILL
BY DECISIVE VOTE.
ANTI.JAPANLSE LAWS ARE KILLEG
Gov. Gillette's Influence Contributed
Very Largely to The ResuIt.-Vote
Against Measure Was Unexpected.
Rural Legislators Kill The Bill.

SACRAMENTO, Cal, Feb. 3.-Tbe
assembly late this afternoon, by vote
of rs to AS, rejected the Drew anti
alien bill, which prohibited foreigners
from owning land in California This
decisive vote sounds the death knell
of all anti-Japanese legislation this
session of the legislature. The senate
already has gone on record in the re-
port of the committee which declared
against the passage of any bill aimed
at the Japanese. There was a large
audience in the assembly this morning
to hear the debate on the japanese
bill
Mr.. Drew, the author of the bill.
made a strong speech in advocacy of
his measure. He declared the Presi.
dent was not opposed to his bill as II
was now amended, and he was so in
formed in a letter from the President
received today. He added:
I'VE must keep the Japanese out of
the country and we must prevent them
from owning land in California. Only
the government at Washington has the
power to keep them away from our
shores, but it is for the legislature
10 say whether or not they shall own
property here.
81 wish to dispel the idea that seems
to have gained wide circulation that
my bill was the result of union labor
agitation. When l introduced it two
years ago had never heard of the
Asiatic Exclusion League. 1t was not
done for any special interest, but for
the good of all people of the state.
Drew quoted from letters received
from Hawaii and Canada showing
large increase in numbers of Japanese
there, and continued;
Who is opposing this measure in
California? First, the commercial in
terests, including the chambers OF
commerce of our two largest cities,
San Francisco and Los Angeles. Some
of these interests are large employers
of japanese labor.
I'm case the necessity arose." he
continued, Japan could raise in Cali
fornia an army of 10000 of her own
subjects, most of whom have served
in the army"
Mr.. Drew was opposed by Mr.. Mel
rose, who declared that the bill would
drive out $1OO,O00,000 foreign capital
in San Francisco and a large sum
through the state. He declared the
Japanese were necessary to the fruit
growers, as without their aid 1t would
be impossible to gather the crop. He
produced statistics, showing there
we're not more than seventy-five Jap
anese land owners in all California.
Probably the argument that car
ried greater weight concerning the
bill would not only drive out the
Japenese capital, but all other foreign
capital 1t is estimated that over
billion dollars are invested in the state
and that the withdrawal of this capital
would put the state back forty years.
When the vote began intense interest
was shown. The result was greeted
with applause.
The vote in the assembly today
against the anti-saloon bill was al
most foregone conclusion because
of the attitude of Gov. Gillette and
his influence over the country mem
bers. Aside from his own colleagues
in Fresno county Mr.. Drew had only
the San Francisco members to de-
pend upon and those from Sacramento.
The San Francisco assemblymen were
all Influenced by labor union argu-
ments.
Gov. Gillette said before the vote
was reached today:
There is no question in my mind
that we are making ourselves ridicu-
lous by anti-Japanese legislation at
this time. And we are certainly max
ing ourselves unpopular with other
states of the Union. One can hardly
pick up an eastern paper or review
without seeing some reference to
what they are beginning to term
CALIFORNIA; intermittent attack OF
yellow peril
"Anti-Japanese legislation can have
only one result at this time. Y will
SO prejudice the rest of the country
against us that our representatives at
Washington will not be able to get
hearing when California seeks some
remedial legislation at the national
capital. The trouble with the whole
matter is that some persons are try
ing to do cheap politics without re-
regard to the gravity of the issues at
ototyo I don't helIovn the naOnIp will