The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-15

s@g - 49,
\ !, -. rausrxr& mas : insisted wpon
preserving with our national govern
fnent
saThe treaty of 1911 with Japan, in
xeSrrtnce 10 the citizens and sub
ierts Of each country, provides that
they shall have liberty to own or
lease or occupy houses. manufactures.
s:!.I ssIss! IL issss 'saa
for residential and commercial pur-
poses. and generally TO do anything
Incident to or necessary for trade,
upon the same terms as native citizens
or subjects. submitting themselves 10
the laws and regulations there estab-
lihed.
I'VE assume that the right Of ia
panese to own real property for the
purposes described. is absolute in our
Stare. and we seek TO deal only with
onr agricultural lands We emhcdy
the treaty in our law, and we add
10 ID permission 10 lease our agrlcul-
tural lands for the period cf three
Years
No. OfTense offered.
Where such extraordinary care has
been exercised IN preserve honor and
Sot,d faith, in the very words Of the
contract made by the protesting ma
ton with our own, and 10 do more
by authorizing leases of agricultural
lands il would seem that we ought
not 20 he open to any accusation ~
violation OF treaty rights, or desire
to entfench upon that which belongs
aioue TO the national government, or
wn4oh might become a matter OF IN
transitional policy.
"Ry the law adopted we offer no
offense: We make no discrimination
Tho afFpree and discrimination are
eentstn ned il S. claimed, in the use OF
the words eligible 10 citizenship
aud in making n distinction between
those who are eligible 10 citizenship
and those who are not. We do nos
mention Ih5 Japanese, or any paru-
cllar race. The constitution in 1879
made its distinction. and there has
never been protest or objection. The
naturalization laws of the United
States long since without demur from
any nation determined who were, and
who were not. eligible to citizenship.
Ii inyduous discrimination ever were
made in this regard the United States
made il when the United States de-
clAred who were and who were not
eligible TO citizenship. and when we
but follow and depend on the statutes
Of the United States, and their de-
termination as 10 eiiEtDIiitS 10 W.
zepsh4p, we cannot De accused ot in-
duiging in inViduous dlscrlnilha'ioil.
MAY venture 10 call to your attention
the immigration law now pending in
congress which passed both houses
OF the last congress, where apparently
certain vlasses who shall be eHciuceo
from our country are decriped az per
sons who cannot become eHsipie uH
der existing laws 10 become cla@eh'
of the United States.
AT this very moment the hatioha
legislature, without protest or opJeC
tion--indeed, IL is pupilshed IN Nali
fornia, by express eonsent--ls nslni
the terms that are claimed IN 1sii
fornIa's law TO be offensive ana dls
criminatory.
Follows Other States.
"At least three states IN the ontoi
have in the past enacted laws simlila
to the contemplated law of Cali1or
MIA, and the enactments or those othel
States have been without objection
or protest. That the protest is nov
made in respect to California but EN-
phasixes the acuteness OF the proolen
confronting California, and demon
strates that California IN differently
viewed than other States OF the Union
and that IL discrimination exists IL II
discrimination against California We
Insist that Justly no offense can %
taken Inv any nation to this law, and
49, "a ,ttS,,,artv does this seem tf
.h'f 20 - 1900 ~ - natter
W clear III the instance W ="
nike Japan Ahat ny ITS OWN laws pie
vents afgu sttinn OF land by aliens.
.It in most respectfully submitted
maj aft.r al, the question is no
,, - ~. haa, .akep
"He'n'f aug ''t.''. 9 .i
but 9hethef justly IL sh"uio po
voice. ! think, the sentiment OF tns
majority of the Legislature of this
Stata whom I say that if il had beer
-, 49, ssarso co,,1a fns,lv hf
oefieNeu t'a' "l'ei"r Noo.o ..'
taken b} any nation 10 ING ~ oPose~
law, that law would not nave peer
enacted
tsys.a - California hebeue firmly
,s,.i.,,, -, daaI,rys with
inat IN our issls'a'tfr @ .s 80.
TINS AMEN iahd question We itas" Nto
lated absolutely no treaty rights; VIZ
have shown mr., shadow Of tiixx.s4 m
mutton nc h,,ta sy4yer IN no natiot
-" - - sstteoa In tak,rer of
me f'Sht 10 ne tustlt'eu ~ -,
tense. 80 helleFlhs -"ita sttUii'
reliance on the Justice and the flsht
eousness Of our cause, and with du
anfo~orca eua ,.oDrtesy and witt
- asSaratfnn a. ,he feelin,
ana tne views OF othFiN""