New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-18
Asks State Department for In.
formation About Proposed
California Legislation.
WILSON TRYING TO PACIFY
Administration Has Little Hope
of Preventing Passage of Bill
and Seeks to Modify
It's Provisions.
[ From The Tribune Bureau


Washington, April IL-Italy has ioirso
Japan TO a certain extent in protesting
against the anti-alien land legislation in
the California Legislature, and has asked
the Department of State for information
regarding the proposed measure. The
Secretary Of State said to-day that italy
would be furnished with copy OF the
Objectionable bill, if it passed. but he
would not say how serious were the griey
ances of the Italian government.
Owing to the renewed activity by the
japanese government in protesting against
the legislation and its insistence that
the President and Secretary Bryan try
to block the passage Of the measure and
not content themselves with testing its
validity after enaci ment the administra-
ton is determined 70 exert every effort 10
influence the California Legislature to
abandon the anti-Japanese features and
make the provisions Of the act as general
President Wilson has about given up
hope of preventing the enactment OF the law
barring japanese from owning land in Call.
fornia, and IL trying to pacify tho govern
ment Of Japan with the assurarse that
there will be no discrimination against
Japanese One suggestion made by Wis
count Chinda is that the naturalization
laws of California he broadened 10 afford
japanese citizens opportunity OF becoming
citizens Of the United States, but It is rec
ognized by President Wilson that this can
hardly be hoped for in California.
Larz Anderson. VINO was appointed Am
bassador 10 Japan by President Taft
called al the White House to-day ana dis
cussed the subject with President Wilson
He said that when he left Japan, about
six weeks ago, there was practically no
anti-American feeling. and the wishes o.
the people seemed to be 10 continue the
friendly relations with the United States
His opinion was, however. that the alien
land bill would cause serious resentment
Sacramento, April T-Amendments 10
the Brdsall anti-alien land bill, designed
20 exempt from the strict prohibitions
of the act all California properties held
by European capital. while still barring
the japanese, were offered to-day in The
Senate by the author or the measure
II adopted. the proposed changes VIII
make the Birdsall bill more acceptable 10
Europeans than is the Assembly bill and
more restrictive on the japanese.
The principal amendment is the inssr-
ton of clause permitting corporations
10 own land when the majority stock is
held by aliens eligible to citizenship. This
provision was in the Assembly bill. but
the Birdsall measure provided that the
majority stock OF such corporations should
be held by citizens Of the United States
or persons who had declared their inten-
ton to become citizens"
Further concessions 10 European cap
tai are contained in the new sections
which protect the loans of foreign banks
and exempt land used in the mining Oh
shipping and lumber industries where
most OF the foreign capital, except tna'
of the Japanese, is invested.
\ circular quoting the views OF Dr
David Starr Jordan. of Leland STANFORD
University. who is opposed 10 an anti
ai.rn land law. is being distributed at me
caultal by a japanese lobbyist, the Ars'
one who ever came 10 Sacramento