The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-05-01
BRYAN'S MISSION
WITHOUT RESULT
He Is Unable to Answer Cues.
tons on Alien Law.
GIVES PRESIDENTS VIEWS
Secretary Urges Legislature In Secret
Session to Delay Action en- Pro-
posed Legislation and Offers
Many Suggestios's.

| odCTdUleUtO, Val, April @J.-Idlhoi
mia, in the fullness of her right as g
state, may enact rigid land law barr
ing Orientals from ownership, but such
action would be against the earnest
wish of the national administration.
This is the substance of the mes
sage William Jennings Bryan, secre
tary of state and personal representa-
| tive of President Wilson, delivered TO
secret conference attended only by
| Governor Johnson, Lieutenant Cover
nor Wallace and the 1870 members OF
the California Legislature.
After a long and stormy session,
| Secretary Bryan, under the fierce fire
| of oratory and hot definitions of state S
rights, was forced to admit his inabil-
| ity to say California should not enact
such laws as she liked, 1t now appears
the anti-alien bill will be enacted.
Bryan Only Gives Advice.
Those who expected Secretary Bry-
| an to expound new theory of state S
rights were disappointed, as were
those who expected predictions of war.
| Advice in the name of President Will
son was all Mr.. Bryan had to offer. and
| the paramount question here is
whether such advise will overcome the
| previously announced determination of
the Progressive Republican majority
, to enact an anti-alien land holding law
along lines already agreed upon.
Secretary Bryan reatfirmed the
states right to act in manner it saw
! fit, but suggested several alternatives
to the passage of a bill restricting
aliens ineligible to citizenship" bas-
ing his reasons on the broad founda-
ton of public policy.
Four Alternatives Suggested.
Briefly. these alternatives in the
, order in which they were suggested,
are as follows:
]. Delay immediate action and al
! low the state department TO try to ac-
/ complsh the ends desired by means
| of a new treaty with Japan
! 2. Delay immediate action and ap-
point commission to investigate the
subject Of alien land ownership and
net in conjunction with the president
/ In securing relief.
! g. Enact law similar to the statute
4 In Illinois, which permits aliens to
/ hold land for period not exceeding
six years, and applies alike TO all
aliens.
! 4. Enact q law simila- to the federal
! statute governing land ownership in
the District of Columbit, which is a
general law applying TO all aliens.
or these alternatives It may be safe
/ ly said, according to leaders in the leg
4 islature, that the last two are out of
the question. Many Democrats favor
/ turning the matter over to the state
department, while the Progressive Re-
, publican majority apparently remains
unchanged in its support of bill that
would apply its restrictions to Orient
ais alone.
Say People Demand Law.
The conference with Secretary Bry-
an served to show the breadth of the
sentiment in favor of an alien land law
/ that shall be effective in checking the
| Japanese and Chinese immigration. A
/ dozen or more senators and assembly
men declared the people Of the state
a law, and it was threatened that un-
less the legislature acts at this time
| the matter would be taken up through
the initiative and passed by the people
themselves
Governor Johnson made brief, but
intense, speech in defense of the posi-
ton taken by the majority party in
California. He told Secretary Bryan
that the right of California to follow
The lead Of other states was unques-
toned and declared that such a course
now seemed assured. His address
plainly indicated that the opinion of
the administration remained un.
changed by the argument put forward
by Mr.. Bryan.
slsson Makes War Speech.
Washington, April ga war
speech in support of the proposed
California antialien land law was de-
livered in the house by Representa-
tive Thomas Upton Sssion of Mis-
sissippi
IF we must have war or submit
to this indignity, / am for war" cried
Mr. Sisson Il am with the people
of California in their efforts to pre-
vent these aliens from acquiring land.
believe that no nonresident alien
should be allowed to hold a single foot
of land In the territory Of the United
States. What would Washington say
In answer to the question, war or sub.
mission? What would Jackson say?
What would Cleveland say? What
Mckinley say? | resent the efforts
OF Japan to force use to submit to her
demands.
Mr.. Sisson took the position that
the Japanese government in protest.
ing against alien land legislation was
endeavoring to exempt its citizens
from the operations OF the laws OF the