The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-05-05
May CHECK LAW
BY REFERENDUM
o Appeal to CaIltofnians to
Halt Anti. Japanese Act.
Dp TO GOVERNOR JOHNSON
The Assembly Passes Measure by Big
Majority-secretary Bryan Heading
Home.

Home.
Sacramento, Cal, May 5.-The op
kponents of anti-Japanese Legislation
kare banking strongly on the refereu
dunn to delay crisis and give time
for amicable adjustment with Japan.
The Webb bill. passed by the as
ssembly with a big majority, is In Gov
ernor Johnson's hands. He will prob
ably sign 1t.
A referendum petition would require
20,000 signatures before the law could
be temporarily nullified, pending ar
election. The matter could not be sub
mitted to the people until the fall OF
1914, delay of nineteen months. IN
case the proposed referendum petition
gained enough signatures.
Representative of the board OF di
rectors of the Panama-Pacific exposi.
tiGn at San Francisco have intimated
that the board might foster move
ment to invoke the referendum against
any anti-alien bill that might be pass
ed. Recently the exposition company
: 44p6 OCCiI JO1ACN w SONSA0A SS&b&&4Sh
cial and trade bodies In the largei
cities, who fear Japan will levy re
prisals upon california by abrogatins
present business relations.
As Secretary Bryan concluded his
mission with message OF farewell
to the joint session of the two houses.
he gave renewed assurance Of the
friendly interest and cooperative at
titude of the national administration
toward the peculiar problems Of Calf
fornia, transmitting the presidents
latest criticism of the bill and re-
hearing against those objections al
ready made public. In reply Senator
Gates, speaking for the state, said:
This legislature appreciates the
honor that has been done to this state
by the visit of the secretary Of state
We realize that his coming to coop
crate with us marks an era In Ameri
can politics. It brings the federal gov
ssernment into close touch with the indi
vidual states.
Son the part OF the legislature J
wish to express our profound appre
sciation and gratitude for the interest
taken by the national government in
I problem confronting the state of Cal
Aifofnia, and to assure the president
k3a1t, even If we may differ with him
q Is ) sssa fhoAe II fha neg
retary of state And II we feel impelled
to depart from that advice, we do II
with respect for that advice.
Il propose and desire on the part OF
this legislature to thank the president
and his secretary for their assistance
and I express the hope that this visit
ity by the national government In as
sisting the states in their work"
Secretary Bryan in his address vote
ed the presidents opinion that the
words eligible to citizenship" substi
tuted in the California attorney gen
erals redraft of the alien land meas
ure for the words ineligible to citi
zenship" were equally discriminator,
and, therefore, Objectionable to Japan
If law must pass, he urged that II
be limited in its operation to two
years, in order that meanwhile diplo
macy might so improve the interna
tional situation that re- enactment by
the next legislature would be unnec
essary.
This suggestion, which had not yet
reached the president, he said. was
made "for the consideration of those
who have vet to act upOn the sub
ject"