Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-05-21
JOHNSON WILL SIGN
ALIEN LAND BILL
Sends Reply to Bryan's Request
for Veto.
STATES POSITION OUTLINED
California Is Doing only What Is Inn
perstiVely Demanded-5eIieves
Action Is Within Treaty
Rights.


Ing his determination to sign the alien
land bill recently passed by. the legis-
lature, Gov Hiram w Johnson Of CALI
fornia on Wednesday telegraphed to
Secretary Of State Bryan long ex-
PLANTATION taken by the legislature in
passing the bill.
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 We
toed.
The text in part Of the governors
message follows:
Your very courteous telegram re-
lating to the alien land bill reached
me late Sunday night. take It from
our conversations, and your request
made To me TO withhold executive ac-
tion until opportunity was accorded
| for the presentation of suggestions
from the federal government, that your
/ telegram embodies what II was your
wish and the wish of the president TO
/ say to us before final action.
In this response it is my design
most respectfully to present the stu
alton from our standpoint, and the
views that actuated our legislature in
1 passing the bill, and that impel me to
sanction II.
For many years very grave prob
! lem, little understood in the east, has
confronted California; a problem the
/ seriousness of which has been recog-
nized by statesmen in our nation. and
having 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 ineli-
/ gible to become citizens of the United
/ States is declared to be dangerous to
the well being of the state. and the
legislature shall discourage their i'm.
migration by all means within its
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 ag
rieultural lands. until finally afiirma
tive action in an attempted solution
became imperative.
This attempted solution is found in
the action of on, legislature In the
| passage of the alien land bill.
I'VE assume that the right OF Jap
anese 10 own real property for the
purposes described is absolute in our
| state. and we seek to deal only with
orr agricultural lands. We embody
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 and
| good faith In the very words of the
contract made by the protesting
nation with our own and to do more
by authorizing leases Of agricultural
lands, II would seem that we ought
not TO be- open TO any accusation o.
violation Of treaty rights or desire 10
entrench upon that which belongs
alone TO the national government or
which might become matter of in.
ternational policy
BY the law adopted we offer no
oHense. We make no determinations.
The offense and discrimination are
contained. 1t Is claimed. in the use
of words eligible to citizenship and
in making a distinction between those
who are eligible TO citizenship and
those who are not. We do not men.
ticn the Japanese or any particular
race, j ~
AT least three states in the Union
have in the pest enacted laws similar
to the contemplated law OF California
and tho enactment OF those other
states have been without objection or
You have suggested to me delay
but this question was very earnestly
and fully presented by you TO our leg
, islature. and the legislature deter,
mined 10 proceed My province is tc
approve or disapprove the law as pre-
sented our people, as represented
In the legislature. ghaye overwhelming
J.. expressed theft desire for the pre-
sent alien land law bill The vote In
the senate was IS 10 2. and In the as
sembly 70 TO 8 With such unanimit,
, OF opinion. even did | hold other
views. would feel it my plain duty &c
sign the bill, unless some absolutely
controlling necessity demanded con
trary action, Apparently no such con
trolling necessity exists.
1T is with the highest respect fol
{ yourself and the president. that
e feel my duty to my state eompels m,
@ TO approve the action OF the legisla
r ture Signed
HIRAM W. JOHNSON,