The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-23
Republicans and Democrats of
California Says That Is
Bull Moose Intention
PRESIDENT APPEALS;
JOHNSON ANSWERS
Governor Reply Pleasing Ex-
cept That in Important In
stances Is Vague and
Unsatisfactory

SAL RA NJ ELNIOs ApTlI Mem
bers of the majority in the legislature
and Governor Johnson, intend 10 EN-
barrass the national administration
according to the opinion expressed to-
day by Republicans and Democrats
of the upper house of the legislature,
after the receipt Of the message from
President Wilson urging that no dis
criminatory alien land laws be passed.
I9e statement is made in view of
the text of the message sent TO the ma
tons chief executive by the governor,
in which he says that the State does
not intend to embarrass the federal
administration and that III any act is
passed IL will he general in character,
relating to aliens Ineligible TO become
citizens"
OF Dubious Meaning.
This statement of the governor is
taken to mean that only legislation
against japanese viii be passed. and
that such is the program outlined To
leaders Of the senate in a conference
held this afternoon in the governors
Office after which the telegram was
sent to Washington.
Another cause for this belief is the
statement made by Senator Newton
Thompson. this afternoon, that he
was working on the draft of another
alien land bill, which would apply
only to those ineligible to become
GIblHti4E. Ills Dill WnlCn ne expects
TO have in shape in a couple Of days
will be much shorter than the present
BirdsaH measure, and will deal only
with one phase of the question, maxi
ing il impossible for ineligible aliens
to hold land in this State. The Bird
sail bill Will be held on the file until
this new measure comes out on the
floor.
Several senators of the majority
are opposed to alien legislation. among
them being Senators Leroy Wright
and Lee c. Gates. The former does
not believe in any such legislation of
any kind at the present time in view
of the fact that Japan has kept the
agreement of 1907 to restrict the
emigration of her laboring people to
this country. Senator Gates is OPP
posed TO any alien legislation, but IL
il is necessary he believes in striking
only at those ineligible to become
citizens rs far as the Democra Is
are concerned they have been unable
10 set together as yet and map out a
program for action They are try
ing to do so and will arrange to meet
the wishes of the national ADMINISTERS
ton in alien land matters
Senator John b. Curtin progresses
to refer the whole subject to the peo~
pie OF the State by a constitutional
amendment. The gist of this amend
iahNahA wiz liC " EifN Tie itE iSidluES
power to enact laws regarding aliens
holding land. Should he present this
resolution for the amendment which
he has already prepared within the
next few days. and il passes he will
have pulled the Democrats of Cali
fornia out of a had hole. This action
will put over all such legislation for
two years. and in his opinion will be
better for everyone concerned.
What IL General Legislation?
WASHINGTON, April 22.-Govern-
or Johnson's reply TO President Will
sons appeal TO California in the mat
ter Of the anti-Japanese agitation was
received at the White House this
evening The president was pleased
with the character of the assurances
which he received from Governor
Johnson. but on one point the mes
sage from the governor seems to be
unsatisfactory. President Wilson Ia
very DESTROYS that any legislation
which the California legislature
passes shall apply to all aliens. and
not alone ia those who are ineligible
to citizenship, Mr Johnson's tele-
gram makes ii appear that the legis-
/ lation 70 be enacted will relate 10
those who are ineligible to citizen
ship" lie adds, however that thu
| legislation will he general in charac-
ter. Whether this means that the
/ Legislature will conform to the presi-
! dents desire in having the law apply
/ to all aliens or not Is uncertain here
tonight
! President Wilson today played his
/ final card in his effort to influence
California against the enactment Of
legislation that viii destroy the
friendly relations between the United
States and Japan. With a view TO
40 n tina 81 i1f ayt
now bearing upon the California leg
islature in favor Of the passage of
( stringent anti-Japanese land laws.
the president issued a direct appeal
to the people of that State.
He respectfully protested against
any discrimination against the Japa-
reese. and urged the Californians and
their representatives at Sacramento
to act in such a way that the coun-
try's good faith cannot be challenged
in the light of its treaty obliga-
tons
yardammn Gets In-u.
While President Wilson was taking
this important step toward allayinE
the growing anti American feeling N
Japan senator Nardaman. the new Dem
ocrat from Mississippi. was issuing 3
statement which is certain to add "a
Japanese irritation. He congratuiatas
the people of California on the In
dependent stand that they have taken
asserts that the Japanese are not az
desirable as citizens as the negro, and
declares that the supremacy of thu
white man and the integrity at the
white race in America are vastly more
( of Importance than the good VIII OF
business of all the alien races or
earth
The president has been repeatedIy
informed by the California represen.
tatives and senators in congress whom
he called TO conference at the white
House, that the people OF the stats
were Insisting upon the passage of the
legislation which had aroused the
protest of the Japanese government
He learned that public sentiment III
favor of the legislation was so strDng
that If the legislature failed TO pass
satisfactory law the people them
selves through the inlaiive which they