Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-15
Johnson vfII
 Approve Bill
GOVERNOR REGARDS IT HIS
 PLAIN DUTY
SENDS REPLY TO BRYAN
No Treaty Rights Are Violated, No Of- fence Offered, and No Discrimina ton Made, He Asserts.

land Dill recently passed by the leSlS- lature, Governor Hiram w Johnson of retary of State Bryan q long eXpla nation of the action taken by the leg islature.
 The message was in answer to the request telegraphed to the governor by Secretary Bryan at the direction of President Wilson that the bill be vetoed.
 The Governors Message.
 The governors message follows: Hon. William J. Bryan, Secretary of
 State, Washington. D. C.:
 Your very courteous telegram re- Iating to the alien land bill reached me late Sunday night. l take it from our conversations and your request made to me to- withhold executive action un- til opportunity was accorded for the presentations of the national govern ment that it embodies what it was your wish and the wish of the presi- dent to say to us before final action.
 'In this response it is my design most respectfully to present the situa- ton from our standpoint and the views that actuated our legislature in pass ing the bill and that impel me to sanction 1t.
 Grave Problem Confronts California.
 For many years a very grave prob lem, little understood in the east, has confronted California; a problem the seriousness of which has been recog- mixed 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, 1t contained the following declaration: The presence of foreigners ineligible to become citizens of the United States is declared to be dangerous to the we'll being of the state. and the legislature shall discourage their immigration 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 afBrma- tive action is an attempted solution became imperative This attempted solution is found In the action of our legislature in the passage of the alien land bill. In the phra seOlogy of this bill, in those in whom it affects. it's scope and in it's purposes, we believe we are within our legal and our moral rights, and that we are doing only what is imperatively demanded for the protection and prese serVation of our state. In this enactment we have kept ever in mind our national good faith as evidenced by existing treaties.
 Existing Treaties Part of the Law.
 ''The objections to our bill are based first, upon the treaty obligations of the nation, and. secondly. upon the asser- tion that our act is offensive and dis CrininatoTy. The protest to our meas ure, as your telegram states, comes from the representative of Japan. The bill that is now before me provides substantially in it's first section that all aliens eligible to citizenship under the laws of the United States may ac- quire real property in the same man. ner as citizens of the United States and the second section provides that all aliens other than those mentioned in the first section may acquire real property in the manner and to the eX- tent and for the purpose prescribed by any treaty now existing between the government of the United States and the nation or country or which such aliens are citizens or subjects, and may in addition lease for a period of three years lands for agricultural purposes
 Thus we have made existing treat ies a part of our law and thus we have preserved every right that any foreign nation by international contract has insisted upon preserving with our na- tlonal government.
 No Violation of Treaty Rights.
 We assume that the right of Japan ese to own real property for the pur- poses described is absolute in oul state. and we seek to Oedl only WltN our agricultural lands.
 We enbody the treaty in our law and we add to 1t permission to lease our agricultural lands for the period of three years.
 Where such extraordinary care has been exercised to preserve honor anC good faith. in the very words of the contract made by the nation, we ouI own and to do more by authorizing leases of agricultural lands, 1t would seem that we ought not to be open tt any accusation Of violation of treaty rights or of desire to entrench upon that which belongs alone to the na- come 8 matter of international policy Offer No OHense, Make No piscrim
 nation.
 By the law adopted we offer nc offense, we make no discrimination,,
 "I'he naturalization laws of the United States. long since. without de mur from any nation, determined whc were and who were not eligible to cit izenship. If invidious discrimination ever were made in this regard the United States made 1t when the Unit, ed States declared who were and whC were not eligible to citizenship, ant when we but follow and depend upor the statutes of the United States anC their determination as to eligibility tC citizenship we cannot be accused o. induIgfng in invidious discrimination May I venture to call your attention to the immigration law now pending II congress- which passed both houses Q. the last congress, where apparently certain classes who shall be excluded from our country are described aS persons who cannot become eligible under existing laws to become citizens of the United States.
 'At this very moment the nationa legislature, without protest or objec- tion-indeed, it is published in Cali fornia by express consent-is using the terms that are claimed in Califor- nias law to be offensive and discrim' inatory.
 Plain Duty to Sign Bill. And so, with all respect and cour- tesy, the state of California feels it: boundeH duty to citizens to do tha' which the interests of it's people de mand that which the conscience of il. people approves; that which violates no treaty rights: that which presents no discrimination, and that which car give no just cause for offense.
 You have suggested to me delay but this question was very earnestly and fully presented to you by our leg islature. and the legislature deter mined to proceed My province iE tc pproye or disabprove the law as pre- sented. Our people represented ir the Legislature have oVerwhe Imin gly expressed their desire for the present Hen land bill The vote In the sen ate was s5 to and in the assembly