The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-29
So Far, Bryan Fails to Settle
California Question.
Republicans and Democrats DO
Not Agree With Secretary.
AFRAID OF FEDERAL PLAN
legislators Fear Delay in Land
Ownership Bill.
Japs Coming Over for a Quiet
Little Visit.

Sacramento. April 29.-With the SEN
tirnent of the Progressive Republican
majority towards anti-alien land leg1s-
lation virtually unchanged by the re-
presentations made yesterday by Sec
retary of State Bryan on behalf of
President Wilson, the California legis-
Iature faced today a second broadslde
of argument from the head of the
state department. What form the op-
jections of the federal administration
would take was not known early today
for Secretary Bryan had not made
public the contents of his telegrams
from President Wilson received IN
answer to the questions propounded by
the secretary after the close OF the
conference last evening
Since his arrival yesterday, the sec
retary of state has declined to make
any statement except in conference
with the governor and members OF the
legislature and it was expected tnat
another session of the conference Woulo
be called late in the day.
Dissatisfaction over the prlnclpaI
plan for the solution of the alien lana
problem put forward by Mr.. Bryan was
expressed both by Republicans and
Democrats Secretary Bryan suggested
that the state permit the matter to De
taken up by the diplomatic corps and
settled possibly by means of a new
treaty.
During the argument, Assemblyman
Sutherland as,-ed:
What assurance can the federal
government give us. Mr.. Bryan that if
action by the legislature is delayed,
the same end can be reached through
diplomatic effort?"
Bryan Couldn't Answer Question.
Secretary Bryan replied: Il am
sorry, but 1 cannot answer as fully as
YOU might like. Until just before
started for Sacramento it looked as
though the words ineligible to citizen
ship were not to be used. 1t was only
when reports came indicating that the
use of these words was contemplated
that the president communicated with
me and since then have had no cp-
portunity to discuss the bill in detail
with the Washington representatives
of the japanese government.
''On this matter 1 have no definite
proposition to submit to you, none that
is sufficiently mature to offer you as
an assurance. All I can say is that
the president has conferred with the
japanese ambassador and 1 have con-
ferred with him and I feel it is worth
while to make an effort
After inquiring what kind of a law
would meet the approval of the fed
eral administration and receiving no
direct reply, Assemblyman Sutherland
asked:
Can We pass any kind of a law
that would accomplish our purpose
and would not, in your judgment be
offensive to the japanese govern
ment2'
Secretary Bryan's suggestion is that
California enact a law similar to the
statute in Illinois or in the District of
Columbia.
No Special Mission Says Toxic.
Toxic. April 29.-The announce
ment of the projected departure in
May for the United States of SOroku
Ebara, a member of the Japanese par
lament belonging to the constitution
al party and of Iohizo Hattori, a
member of the house of peers, gave
rise to the report that a special mis-
sion was being sent to America to
study the alien land ownership situa-
tion in California. The facts are that
their visit has no official character
whatever and Sacramento is not their
objective point, their purpose being to
revisit Japanese centers of America as
representatives of the japanese Chris
tians.
Both of them, however, express the
determination to discover the reasons
for California's opposition to the Jap
anese and to allay the existing feeling.