The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-15
JOHNSON REFUSES
TO VETO ALIEN
LAND BILL
California Governor Sends Re-
ply to Secretary Bryan
HIS DUTY TO SIGN MEASURE
Asserts That State Is Following the
Policy Outlined in Similar Ma
tionaI Legislation.

Sacramento, Cal, May 15-Express
ing his determination to sign the
alien land bill recently passed by the
California Legislature, Gov. Hiram
w. Johnson yesterday telegraphed to
Secretary of State Bryan a long ex-
PLANTATION of the action taken by the
Legislature. The message was in an
swer to the request telegraphed to
the governor by Secretary Bryan at
the direction of President Wilson
that the bill be vetoed. The COVER
nor's message in part 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-
ton until opportunity was accorded
for the presentations from the feder-
al government, that your message EN-
bodies what it was your wish and the
wish of the president to say to us be-
fore final action. In this response II
is my design most respectfully to
present the situation from our stand
point and the views that actuated
our Legislature in passing the bill
and that impel me to sanction it,
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
has been viewed with apprehension
by the people of this state. When
the present constitution of California
was adopted more than 30 years ago
Il contained the following declara-
ton: The presence of foreigners in
eligible to become citizens of the
United States is declared to be dan
gerous to the well-being of the state
and the Legislature shall discourage
their immigration by all means with
in 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
agricultural lands until finally affir-
native action 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 phraseology
of this bill, in those whom 1t affects,
in its scope and in its purposes. we
believe are within our legal and our
moral rights and that we are doing
only what is imperatively demanded
for 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 and would justify us to our fel
low-countrymen. ..
THE naturalization laws of the
United States, long since, without de-
INJURED from any nation, determined
who were and who were not eligible
to citizenship. If invidious discrimi-
nation ever was made in this regard
the United States made 1t when the
United States declared who were and
who were not eligible to citizenship.
and when we but follow and depend
upon the statutes of the United
States and their determination as to
eligibility to citizenship we cannot be
accused OF INDUCING in invidous dis
ordinations. - ..
I'VE of California, believe firmly.
that in our legislative dealings with
this alien land question we have VIC
lated absolutely no treaty rights. We
have shown no discrimination: we
have given to no nation the right to
be justified in taking offense. So. be-
lieving with a strong reliance on the
justice and the righteousness of our
cause, and with due defence and
courtesy and with proper considera-
ton for the feelings and the views of
others-we had hoped the authori.
ties at Washington would have saen
the question as we in this state have
been forced to see it-as We must
see Il or be blind.
And so with all respect and cour.
tesy, the state of California feels il is
its bounden duty to citizens to do
that which the interests of its peo-
pie demand. that which the consci
ence OF its people approves; that
which presents no discrimination
and that which can give no Just
cause for offense.
You have suggested to me DELAY.
but this question was very earnestly
and fully presented by you to our
Legislature, and the Legislature de-
ternined TO proceed. Nv. province
is to approve or disapprove the law
as presented. Our people as repre-
scented by the Legislature. have over
whelmingly expressed their desire
for the present alien land bill. The
vote in the Senate was IS to ?. and
in the Assembly az to 3. With such
unanimity Of opinion. even did I
hold other views. would feel IL my
plain duty to sign the bill unless
some absolutely, controlling necessi-
~ demanded contrary action. Appar
emily no such controlling necessity
exists.
TT is with the highest respect for
yourself and the president that feel
NY duty 20 NY state compels me TO
approve the action OF the Legisla-
ture."