The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-03
Shows Determination to
Pass Act Prohibiting
Aliens From Holding
Land by Purchase
PHRASEOLOGY OF
REDRAFTED BILL
SLIGHTLY ALTERED
Words Ineligible to Citizenship"
Omitted as Offensive to Japan.
Democratic Opposition Purely
Technical-Attitude Ex-
pressed in Resolution

Sacramento, May 2.-Final debate
In the senate on the amended draft
of the Webb anti-alien land bill began
before s o'clock this evening and still
was in full swing at 1880
At the outset the majority leaders
made it known they would not permit
another interruption of their plans
and the word went forth that the body
would be held in session all night If
necessary to bring the bill to final
vote.
The only opposition was from Sem
ator Wright. republican, and the
democrats who sought in vain to
break through the solid progressive
front with a string of amendments
that would tie up the bill until next
week. YEARLY the debate went on
and regularly the amendments were
voted down, one by one.
It was what the minority expected, but
It was their programme to give the pro-
gressive majority chance to go on rec
ord as opposed to all the suggestions
made by Secretary of State Bryan and
to the advice of President Wilson. The
democrats disclosed their plans and their
purposes even before many of their
amendments were offered.
Going to Vote for Bill
I'VE are going to vote for your bill re-
gardless of the form In which you set
It before u.s." cried Senator Campbell.
democrat, in the early part of the de-
bate. 1.-THE senate is stacked before us.
we know that, but in the end we are
for the bill, because We want an anti
alien land law"
During the afternoon the majority haG
rejected the Curtiss resolution, which
embodied the principal suggestion made
to the legislature by Secretary Bryan,
namely, that the state allow the federal
government to settle the postponement
of alien Land ownership through diplo-
macy.
Senator Wright, republican, offered to-
night an amendment embodying another
of Secretary Bryans recommendations
1t was the Illinois law which applies to
all aliens regardless of their eligibility
to citizenship and permits ownership for
six years.
You have repudiated President Will
sons advice once" shouted Wright to
the administration forces. Now I want
you to repudiate it again"
They did. Only five votes were cast
in favor of his amendment
At times the debate became strictly
partisan. Senator Sanford seeing certain
victory ahead for the majority, surren-
dered finally but still volleyed taunting
questions from time to time at the pro-
gressive leaders, until the whole discus
sion threatened to resolve itself into an
acrimonious political argument.
Sacramento, Cal, May 1.-The Cali
fornia senate today showed resolute
determination TO put aside the recon-
nendations of President Wilson and his
envoy, Secretary Bryan and pass an act
prohibiting Japanese and other aliens in
eligible TO citizenship from holding land
by purchase or by lease for more than
three years.
In phraseology the bill. as redrafted by
Attorney General Webb after many con-
ferences with Governor Johnson and the
administration floor leaders, omitted the
words 'ineigible to citizenship" which
are offensive to Japan, but those in charge
of the bill repeatedly admitted in debate
that the end sought was the same.
Democratic opposition was purely tech
nical The minority confessed its SYM
pathy with the ends sought and freely
criticised the bill. not as too drastic but
as too weak. Where the minority differed,
was in its Judgment of the means wisest
to employ. This attitude found it's ex-
preston in resolution offered by Senator
Curtin and defeated by vote of 10 ayes
to 26 noes. The administration majority
for the bill was solid with single ex-
ception. In opposition were eight out of
10 democrats, one progressive and Sena-
tor Wright of San Diego. the lone Taft
republican in the chamber.
Curtin's Resolution
Senator Curtin's resolution proposed
that:
"The people of the state OF Cali
fornia defer to the wishes of the Presl-
dent of the United States and the legisla-
ture will not at this session pass the
bills advised against
The resolution concluded that the people
Of the state desired substantially the ends
sought in the administration measure and
that the President of the United States
be requested to endeavor to secure such
treaty or other agreement from any ma
tion protesting against the passage of the
bills under consideration as will effectu-
ally accomplish the end and purpose here
IN mentioned;
''And, further That if at any time the
governor of California becomes convinced
that the success of such effort is mprob-
able, he is hereby requested to call an
extraordinary session of the legislature" >"
The chief arguments advanced against
the bill and in support of the Curtin reso-
luton We're:
|. That the bill was discourteous to
the President of the United States and
the imperial government of Japan.
2. That the ends it sought might better
aud more permanently be attained by
federal negotiations.
3. That those. opposed to ii might in
woke the referendum. thus inhipting ef-
fective action under its provisions for g
year and seven months during which
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