The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-29
Sum and Substance of Sec
retary Bryan's Speech Be-
fore California Legisla-
ture on Pending Bills
STATE ADMITTED
TO HAVE RIGHT TO
USE OWN DISCRETION
Right Reaffirmed by Secretary of
State, But Suggests Several AL
ternatives to the Passing of
Alien Bill Immediately.
Hears Others Speak

Sacramento, April 2S.--A day of con-
fcrenees between Secretary of state
Bryan and Governor johnson and MEM
hers of the California legislature over
proposed nnti-sIien land laws ended
tonight with the conference adjourned
to await replies to messages sent to
Warrington tonight by Mr.. Bryan.
The impression prevailed here when
the conference adjourned that the
resolution of the majority leaders pre-
viously announced to enact bill spe
officially debarring aliens Ineligible to
citizenship" from owning land in Cal
ifornia remained unchanged, although
Mr.. Bryan advised strongly against
such action. Governor Johnson indi-
Gated this in a brief address to the
conference. He declared Californias s
right to follow the lead of other states
in framing the land bill was unques-
toned and said such action now seemed
assured.
II have presented the Presidents
views as 1 understand them," declared
Mr.. Bryan to the conference just before
II adjourned. Tonight 1 shall sub
rlit to him the further questions you
have asked me. calling attention to the
statutes of Washington and Arizona
and l shall be prepared tomorrow, l
hope, to give you his answer"
Stating his position to the conference,
Governor Johnson said in part:
The bill proposed for passage by the
California Legislature can call forth no
just criticism from the national admins
tration nor from any foreign nation Here
in California 1t is not a question of
whether the Japanese government takes
offense at what we do. but whether we
give that government just cause for Of
fense. / do not believe the proposed law
prohibiting land ownership by aliens who
ssre ineligible tc citizenship gives the
Japanese just cause for taking offense
If their dignity IL threatened they
should have protested when Washington
and Arizona passed laws similar to thai
which we now propose to pass
Sacramento. Cal. April 2S.-California
in the fullness of her right as state.
may enact rigid land law barring orier-
tails from ownership. but such action
would be against the earnest wishes of
the national administration.
This is the substance of the message
William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of
State. and personal representative of
President Wilson, delivered today to a
secret conference attended only by Gov
ernor Johnson, Lieutenant Governor Wal
lace and the 100 members of the Cali
fornia Legislature.
Secretary Bryan arrived in Sacramento
at o'clock this morning. With his con-
f.s.. Il. 80,
hearing and shortly after II o'clock the
first session of the conference began.
Until the doors of the assembly chamber
were closed and locked. Secretary Bryan
refused 10 give an mixing of his message
TO any one and even at the conference
lie spoke only after legislators had ex-
planned fully the public demand for alien
land legislation that brought about the
present situation.
No States Rights Theory
Those who expected Secretary Bryan
to expound new theory of states rights
were disappointed, as were those who ex-
pected predictions of war; Advice in
the name of President Wilson was all
Mr.. Bryan had to offer and the paramount
question here tonight Is whether such adj
vice will overcome the previously de-
termination OF the rogressive-republican
majority to enact an anti-alien land hold
ing law along lines already agreed upon.
Secretary Bryan reaffirmed the state 5
right TO act in manner it saw fit. but
suggested several alternatives to the pas
sage of bill restricting aliens 'ineligi-
BILE to citizenship basng his reasons on
the broad foundation of public policy.
Briefly, these alternatives in the order
In which they were suggested. are as fol-
lows:
Alternatives Given
l. Delay immediate action and allow
the state department to try to accom-
plish the ends desired by means of a new
treaty with Japan
.. Delay immediate action and appoint
q commission to investigate the subject
of allen land ownership and act in con-
junction with the President in securing
relief
g. Enact a law similar to the statute
in Illinois. which permits aliens to hold
land for a period not exceeding six years
and applies alike to all aliens.
T. Enact law similar to the federal
statute governing land ownership in the
district OF Columbia, which is general
law applying to all aliens.
or these alternatives. 1t may be safely
said. according to leaders in the legis-
lature that the last two are out of the
question. Many democrats favor turning
the matter over to the state department.
while the progressive republican majority
apparently remains unchanged in its sup
(Continued on Page Eiaht)