Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-20
Strong Argument Looked
for in Reply to Bryan
Answer.
MAY GO TO THE COURTS
California Referendum Plans
Will Likely Delay Law TAX
ing Effect Until 1914.

Toxic, May 20.-News that the Cali
fornia land bill had been signed by
Governor Johnson was received with
regret here, although it lad been dis
counted in official and non-oficial cir
cles. It was hoped up to the last that
Washington's Intervention would prove
successful.
Newspapers published extras. Efforts
OF the government are concentrated
a. present in pacifying public opinion,
but the task is regarded in many quar-
ters a more difficult one than at the
time OF the Californian school con-
troversy over a year ago. Since the
death of the old emperor the author
ity Of the government has been stead
fly diminished in resisting the grow
Ing influence Of public opinion, and a
spirit Of democracy is augmentjng
throughout the empire.
Washington. d. c.. May 2O.-With
the answer Of the United States to
its protest in hand. 1t is now up 10
the Japanese foreign Office to take
the next step in the negotiations in
the California land act. II is expect
ed the forthcoming rejoinder to Sec
retary Bryan will be strongly argu-
mentative and calculated TO result in
the conduct of further negotiations on
a strictly legal basis. II is expected
a 81,
japanese rejoinder is received.
Learning through press dispatches
that Governor Johnson had signed
the Webb anti-alien land ownership
act. Secretary Bryan telephoned Wis
count Chinda late yesterday an invi-
tation to call at the state department
to receive the reply to Japan's pro-
test against the measure.
The Japanese ambassador respond
ed Immediately and Mr. Bryan handed
him the answer he had been awaiting
Toxic at once.
No indication as to the nature of the
reply was made public by Mr.. Bryan
or Viscount Chinda.
PARLEYs HOUR WITH BRYAN.
The secretary of state and the am
bassador conferred earnestly for an
hour regarding the general aspect Of
the problem which they were trying
to solve. The opinions expressed were
tentative. The ambassador felt that
he must be guided entirely by the di-
rections of the foreign Office at Toxic; ;
ne could only surmise xhat might be
the attitude of the officials at home.
II was understood that both the
japanese protest and the state depart
ment's answer would be withheld from
publication for the present on the
ground that 1t would be injudicious TO
submit the delicate questions at issue
10 heated discussion in the newspa.
pers and at possible mass meetings.
In his answer Secretary Bryan is
understood to have recounted the ef
forts made by the administration to
guard against an infringement of the
treaty rights OF the Japanese. on
cials believe this substantially has
been accomplished through tie
amendment OF the original Webb bill
and that at any rate, II the japanese
government takes a contrary view, II
will be easy for japan TO test the is
sue In the American courts. This, II
Is pointed out, would seem 10 remove
the issue from one of treaty construc
tion. II the state departments view is
correct. to the broad field Of interna
tional law.
II Is realized that the japanese gov
ernment is not much concerned about
the exclusion OF its subjects from
America. for they are needed in Man
churia, Korea and Formosa. Underly
ing the whole objection. IL is said, Il
the intense national pride Of the Jap
anese. which has been touched to the
quick by the general development o.
antiJapanese feeling on the Pacific
coast
OftiCial circles realize that negotia
tions henceforth must be conducted
with extreme caution. but there is 1
general conviction that an amicabl'
solution Of the problem will be reach
ed. y
JAPAN OPPOSES LAWS SPIRIT.
Negotiations between the two gov
ernments are expected TO proceed nov
in regular fashion without further ref
erence to what takes place in CalifOr
MIA II is assumed that several day
may elapse before the next step Il
taken, depending on word from Toxic
II is gathered that while the Japan
ese allege technical violations Of tn
treaty of 1911 by the California Law
these relate TO minor provisions. sucl
as that prohibiting japanese from in
heriting property IN California. Tn
real weight OF objection is against III
spirit OF the whole legislation. whicl