Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1913-04-30
While Provisions A oun t
Largely to Same as Other
Objectionable Ineligible
to Citizenship" Clause Is
Omitted.
b K Y AN Il + A DIS
AND is SILENT
Allows Aliens Eligible to
Citizenship to Hold Lands
and Does Not Effect the
Present Property Owners
of California.
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATcHl


SACRAMENTO. April 29.-The pos
sibility of an amicable adjustment of
the alien land law controversy by
means of a. new bill drawn in strict
conformity with the treaty between
Japan and the United States con-
fronted tonight the third secret con-
ference of Secretary of State Bryan
with Governor Johnson and the Cali
fornia legislature, which was called
at $3.50 o'clock.
Attorney General L. s. Webb
drafted the measure at the sugges-
tion of Governor Johnson and copy
Was placed immediately in the hands
of Secretary Bryan. The term in
eligible to citizenship" which was de-
clared by Secretary Bryan to be
Odious to the Japanese, was not in
cluded. The progressive republican
leaders are confident they have ar
rived at a solution of the problem and
that it win receive the endorsement
of President Wilson and the national
administration. Secretary Bryan ad-
mitted he had seen a new draft of
the proposed law, but declined to
make comment, except before the
conference
The principal features of the new
bill are as follows:
l. All aliens eligible to citizenship
may acquire and hold land in the
same manner as citizens of the Unit
ed States.
>. All other aliens may acquire
and hold land lin the manner of and
to the extent for purposes prescrib
ed by any treaty now existing be-
tween the government of the United
States and the nation or country of
which such alien is q citizen or sub
ject."
). Corporations composed of aliens
other than those eligible for citizen
ship may acquire and hold land only
according to the terms of existing
treaties.
T. Present holdings of aliens re-
Sardless of their rights to citizenship,
are protected.
). The state specifically reserves
the sovereign right to enact any and
all laws relating to the acquisition
and holding of real property by
aliens
Attorney General Webb, in drafting
the act, worked on the theory that
there would be no objection to writ
ing into the California statutes the
specific limitations of the japanese
treaty of 1911. Under the terms of
the treaty Japanese subjects are per-
mtted to own homes and lands for
residential purposes, factories, manu-
factories and shops" according to
Webb. Another clause permits Jap
aneSe subjects to lease land for res
idential and commercial purposes"
These are the only stipulations is
the belief of the attorney general, and
the rights of Japanese subjects to
land in the United States stop at
this point
Under his construction of the
treaty no land can be owned or
leased by japanese for agricultural
purposes except that which is already
owned. or for other purposes except
those set forth in the agreement be-
tween the nations.
Explaining the wording of the sub
stitute bill Wedd said
out of the theory that the time
the treaty was framedA Japan asked
for all rights as to ownership of land
in California that the nation desired
for her subjects and as to that treaty
as it now stands, it represents all that
Japan asked. and all the United
States is willing to grant.
This act does not draw the line on
aliens who are ineligible to citizen
ship. Those words are not used. 1t
gives not only to Japan, but to every
nation whose subjects are ineligible
to citizenship under the laws of the
United States, full rights as to own
ership of lands in California, and that
treaties between the United States as
to full rights to ownership or land in
California that the treaties between
the United States and such nations
give"
Several progressive and republican
leaders of the legislature who saw
the bill tonight expressed a hope that
it would meet the approval of the
federal administration. 1t is generally
believed the new act would accomplish
the ends said to be desired by the
people of the state, namely. to stoI
further acquisition by japanese sub
jects of farming lands and ranches.
Full text of the act with the ex-
ception of the additional clause re-
lating to the protection of presen
holdings which is still to be added il
a follows:
Section l. All aliens eligible to ci
tizenship under the laws of th'
United states may acquire or posses!
enjoy or transmit and inherit rea
property and any interest thereino il
this state in the same manner ant
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