New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-30
1t Provides That Existing Cove
nant Shall Govern How
Japanese May Hold
Lands.
SUBMITTED TO C0NCLAVE
Bryan Declines to Comment
Publicly-Progressives Be-
lieve Wilson Will APP
prove Way Out of
Dilemma.

| Sacramento, April 29.-The possibility
of an amicable adjustment of the
alien land controversy by means Of a
new bill, drawn in strict conformity
with the treaty between Japan and the
| United states. confronted tonight the
third secret conference Of Secretary Of
State Bryan with Governor Johnson
and the California Legislature.
Attorney General l.. :. Webb drafted
| the new measure at the suggestion Of
Governor Johnson. and copy was
placed Immediately in the hands OF
Secretary Bryan. The term ineligible
TO citizenship" which is declared by
Secretary Bryan to be odious to the
japanese is not included, and progress
sive Republican leaders arc confident
/ they have arrived at a solution Of the
problem that will receive the indorse-
ment of President Wilson.
Secretary Bryan declined to comment
upon the new bill except in the con-
ference.
The principal features OF the bill are
as follows:
First-All aliens eligible to citizen
ship may acquire and hold land in the
same manner as citizens OF tho United
/ States.
! Second-AII other aliens may acquire
4 and hold land "in the manner and to
/ the extent and for the purposes pre-
scribed by any treaty now existing be-
I tween the government OF the United
/ States and the nation or country Of
which such alien IS citizen or sub.
ject."
Third-Corporatlon composed OF
aliens other than those who are eligible
to citizenship may acquire and hold
land only according to the terms OF
existing treaties.
Fourth-Present holdings OF aliens,
regardless Of their rights TO citizenship,
are protected.
Ffth-The state specifically reserves
its sovereign right TO enact any and
all laws relating TO the acquisition or
holding Of real property by aliens.
Attorney General webb worked upon
the theory that there could be no OBJ
| lection to writing into the statute the
spccific limitations Of the japanese
/ treaty Of 1911.
Tillable Land Excluded.
Under the terms of this treaty Jap
anese subjects are permitted to own
"houses and lands for residential pur-
poses, factories. manufactures and
shops" according TO Mr.. Webb. An.
other clause permits Japanese subjects
to lease land for residential and COM
merc;aI purposes
! These are the only stipulations made,
and IL is the belief Of the Attorney
General that the rights Of, japanese
subjects to land ownership in the
| United States stop at this point. Under
his construction OF the treaty, no land
can be owned or leased by a Japanese
for agricultural purposes except that
which is already owned. or for any
other purposes except those set forth in
the agreement between the nations.
Explaining the wording of the substi-
tute bill, Mr.. Webb said:
"Our theory is that at the time the
treaty was framed Japan asked fpr all
the rights as to ownership of land In
| California that that nation desired for
her subjects. and that the treaty as il
now stands represents all that Japan
asked and all that the United States
was willing TO grant.
Language Most Guarded.
This act does not draw the line upon
aliens who are Ineligible to citizenship.
Those word ar; not used. Ii gives not
only to Japan, but To every nation
whose subjects are ineligible TO citizen
shin under the laws of the United
States. the full rights Ia ownership of
land in California that the treaties be-
tween the United States and such ma
tlons give"
| II is generally believed here that the
new act would accomplish the ends
said TO be desired by the people Of the
state 49, namely, prevention OF the
further acquisition by japanese sub
iects of farming land and ranches.
| A delegation from the Lodi Anti
Alien Association called on Mr.. Bryan
this morning to present the views OF
the American farmers living in that
community, where feeling against the
| Japanese Is said to be intense.
The visitors were introduced by AS
semblyman Stuckenbruck Oemocrat.
who has announced his intention Of
voting for a strong anti-Japanese bill
in whatever form it is presented. re-
gardless of Secretary Bryan's argu-
ments.
OLYMPIA. Wash, April 29.-Secretary
| Rrvan sent the following dispatch to-
dav to Governor Lister Of Washington:
Il