Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-05-15

uY soHHlNc JOURNAL SPECIAL Leased wiHel
Sacramento. Cal. May LEX
pressing his determination to sign the
alien land bin recently passed by the
legislature, Governor Hiram w. John
son. of California, telegraphed to
Secretary Of state Bryan late today a
lengthy explanation Of the position
taken BY the legislature in passing the
hll. The message was in answer to the
request telegraphcd to the governor
hy Secretary Bryan at the direction OF
President Wilson that the bill be We
tocd.
What have tried to do is to set
forth CaIifornias case, said the gov
ernor. commenting on his message
There has been most astonishing
lot of Misrepresentation INDUCED IN
hg eastern newspapers and 1 want the
public to know just where we Of Cali
iornla, stand.
The text OF the governors message
.allaws
Honorable William j. Bryan, seere-
tarv Of state. WASHINGTON y. e.
Your very courteous telegram re-
lating to the alien land bill reached me
late Sunday night ! take il from our
conversations and your request made
to nae to withhold executive action un-
iii opportunity was accorded for the
presentation of suggestions from the
federal Governments that your tele-
gram embodles what IL was your wish
and the wish of the president To say
To us before final action.
eIn this response it is my desire
most respectfully to present the situ-
alton from our standpoint and the
view that actuated our legislature in
passing the bill, and that impels me
10 sanction II.
For many years a very grave prop
lem. little understood in the east, has
confronted California: a problem the
seriousness Of which has been recos-
nized by statesmen in our nation and
has been viewed with apprehension
by the people of this state. When the
present constitution of California was
adopted. more than thirty years ago
it contained the following declarations
The presence of foreigners ineligible
to become citizens of the United
States is declared to be dangerous 70
the well being of the state and the
legislature shall discourage their im-
migration By all means within It's
power.
"Of late years our problem from
another angle has become acute, and
the agitation has been continuous in
the last decade in reference TO our
agricultural lands. until finally af-
frmative action in an attempted So
luhon became Imperative This at
tempted solution is found in the action
of our legislature in the passage Of
the alien land bill In the phraseology
OF this bill, in those whom it affects,
Ia It's scope and in its purpose, we be-
lieye we are within our legal and our
moral right. and that we are doing
only what is mperatively demanded
Tor the protection and preservation OF
our state. In this enactment, we have
Kept ever in mind our national good
faith as evidenced BY existing treaties
and our desire and anxiety have been
to act only in such fashion as would
commend us to our sister states ana
would Justify us to our fellow country
men.
The objections to our bill are based
first upon the treaty obligations of
ihe nation, and secondly. upon the
assertion that our act Is offensive and
discriminatory. The protest TO our
measure, as your telegram states,
comes from the representative Of Ja-
pan The bill that is now before me,
rs YOU know, provides substantially In
rs first section that all aliens eligible
to citizenship under the laws Of the
United States may acquire real prop
erty in the same manner as citizens
~ the United States, and the second
stctipn provides that all aliens other
tinh those mentioned in the first sec
lion. may acquire real property in the
manner and 10 the extent and for the
purposes prescribed BY any treaty now
existing between the government of
Tho Tinted ftates and the nation or
country OF which such aliens are eiti-
Sens or subjects. and may, in addition,
tsase for a period Of three years, lands
for agricultural purposes.
Thus, we have made existing treat
les part Of our iaw. and thus have
We preserved every right that any for
sFn nation. by international con-