Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-04-30
Practically Admits His De-
feat as He Leaves for Visit
In San Francisco.
NEW BILL HAS BEEN DRAWN
Californians of Opinion That
Changes Will Meet Wilson's:
Wishes and States Needs
Special by United Press Wire.


Sacramento, Cal, April 30
Practically acknowledging the fail
ure of his efforts to modify the anti
alien land owning bill, now pending
in the legislature, Secretary of State
Bryan today, is en- route to San
Francisco for brief visit. That the
secretary of state had been defeated
In his efforts was evident immediate
ly after last nights session of the
two houses, when Bryan in conver-
sation with a group of assemblymen
said: THE President has done his
duty as he saw 1t and my task is
practically ended"
The statement came after a new
bill, drawn by Attorney Genera
Webb, at the request of Governor
Johnson, had been submitted to
Bryan ~apd after the legislators had
practically declared they would de-
bate this measure Thursday and pass
1t. 1t reiterates California's right to
exclude any aliens and has exactly
the same intent as the former bill,
but Is more carefully phrased. The
former bill provides that "aliens In
eligible to citizenship cannot acquire
land" The new bill merely substi-
tutes the words "aliens eligible to
citizenship can acquire land" This
Is nothing but an inverse statement
of the same determination.
The principal features of the bill
are as follows:
First.-Ail aliens eligible to citizen
ship may acquire and hole land In the
same manner as citizens Of the United
States.
Secepd.-All other aliens may acquire
aid hold land "in the manner and to
The extent anS for the purposes pre-
scribed BY any treaty now existing be-
stateE and the nation or country Of
which such alien is a citizen or sub
ject."
Third. - Corporations composed of
aliens other than those who are eligi-
Bile to citizenship may acquire and
hold land only according to the terms
of existing treaties.
Fourth.-Iresent holdings OF aliens.
regardless of their rights Of citizen
ship. are protected.
Fifth.-The state specifically reserves
its sovereign right to eLact any and
all laws re.at1Qg to the acquisition or
holding Of zeal property oy aliens.
Hope to Please Wilson.
Progressive leaders. wh'n Informed
of the proposed charges expressed
confidence that they hao reached
solution OF the problem that would
meet the desires Of President v ilson
At the same time it was believed that
the new bill. would accomplish the end
desired by the legislators-the preven-
ton Of the further acquisition by Jap
anese subjects of farming lands and
ranches
Secretary Bryan declined to comment
upon the new bill In advance OF the
conference.
In drafting the compromise measure
Attorney General Webb worked upon
the theory that there could be no OBJ
lection to writing into the statute the
specific limitations Of the Japanese
treaty Of 1911. Under the terms of
this treaty japanese subjects are per.
mitted to own houses and lands for
residential purposes according to Mr.
Webb. Another clause permits Japa.
nese subjects to lease land for "resi.
Dental and commercial purposes"
These are the only stipulahons made.
and it is the belief Of the attorney gen
eral that the rights Of Japanese sub
Jects to land ownership in the United
States stop at this point. Under his
or af ha tyyx In,
be owned or leased by Japanese for
agricultural purposes except that which
Is already owned or for any other pur-
poses except those set forth In the
agreement between the two nations.
Webb Explains Measure.
Explaining the wording of the sub
situte bill. Mr.. Webb said:
Our theory is that at the time the
treaty was framed Japan asked for all
the rights to ownership of land In Cali
fornia that that nation desired for her
subjects and that the treaty as it now
stands represents all that Japan asked
that the United States was willing to
grant.
This act does not draw the line upon
aliens who are ineligible to citizenship
Those words are not used 1t gives not
only to japan. but to every nation
whose subjects are ineligible to citizen
ship under the laws of the United
States. the full rights to ownership OF
land In California that the treaties be-
tween the United States and such ma
tons give"