Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-04-23
ASKS CALIFORNIA Z
TO OBEY TREATIES
Wilson Requests Gov. Johnson to
Heed Japan'S Protest.
WANTS LAND BILL ALTERED
Secretary Bryan Sends Message to
Cut "ineligibIe to Citizenship"
Out of Alien Measure Pend
ing in Legislature.

Washington, April 21-President
Wilson and Secretary Bryan, follow
ing precedent of previous administra-
&ions here, made known their views
on the international character of the
Legislation pending in California by
which Japanese would be prevented
from owning land in that state.
In telegram to Gov. Hiram John
son, made public both at Sacramento
and Washington, Secretary Bryan ex-
pressed the view of President Wilson
that the California assembly bill
might be construed as a violation Of
Greatly obligations with Japan, while
THE senates measure as drawn would
mot be Objectionable if alien land leg
ZsIation were to be enacted at all.
Text of Bryan's Telegram.
The president desires me to say"
Mr.. Bryan's message read, ''that,
while he fully recognizes the right of
the people Of California to legislate
according to their Judgment on the
subject of land tenure, he feels it his
duty to urge a recognition of the in
GeTnational character of such legisla-
zion.
Being anxious to preserve and
strengthen the long-standing friendly
relations existing between this coun-
try and the nations of the Orient, he
very respectfully, but most earnestly,
advises against the use of the words
ineligible to citizenship He asks
That you bring this view to the atten-
ttfOn of the legislature.
He believes the senate bill as tele-
sgraphed to the department of state, is
greatly to be preferred. That bill
limited ownership to citizens and to
those who had declared their inten-
t7on to become citizens.
Sees Bias Against Japanese.
The kilograms and other informa-
Gion from official circles indicate
clearly that the provisions in the as
sembly bill by which aliens ineligible
to citizenship would be prohibited
from owning land were regarded as a
distinct discrimination against Jap
anese, who are denied the right of
naturalization. The language of the
senate bill restricting ownership of
land to citizens of the United States or
aliens who have declared their in
Gention of be coming citizens" is ap-
proved by the president as he has
discovered that this is the phraseol-
Ggy Of statutes in force in New York,
Delaware, Kansas, Minnesota, Ken
facky, Washington, Missouri and the
District of Columbia
-
for Japanese to own land until they
are able to declare their intention of
becoming citizens, a privilege which
the lower courts have not given them
on the ground that they were not
of white or African descent"
Way TO Avoid Difficulty.
By enacting a law similar to those
I'm force in several states California
would not embarrass the federal gov
eminent because no protest hither-
TO has been made against these stat
utes and the whole problem becomes
one of naturalization. 1t is not I'M
likely, however, that the japanese
government will attempt now to have
the question of naturalization pressed
to higher courts.
Alien Land Bills Put Over.
Sacramento, Cal, April 21.-Further
action on the anti-alien land bills pend
ing before the California legislature
mas been deferred until the latter part
Of this week. This decision was
reached because word was expected
from Washington in relation to the
protest of the Japanese government
against possible infringement of the
t@eaty rights of Japanese citizens in
this sttae. Reports of the popular agi-
tation in Japan over the proposed ac-
GiOn IN California provoked consider
able comment about the legislative
chambers. The violence of these pro-
tests as we'll as the inquiries as to
the effect of the proposed bills upon
other alien interests in California led
ITO the belief here that President Will
son might find it expedient to indicate
his views or suggest course of &C
tton tending to relieve the situation.
The postponement applies also to
tine various amendments to the bills
that have been offered and discussion
OF these has gone over, too. A poll of
the senate disclosed an overwhelming
majority in favor of an anti-alien bill,
syUS scarcely handful of senators in
dictated a wish to include in it's provi-
siOns foreigners of foreign corpora
EiOns controlled by persons eligible
to citizenship. The campaign in be-
half Of European investments in the
state, 1t was asserted, had begun to
be reflected in the change of opinion
amOng individual members in this re-
gard