The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-19
SIGNS ALIEN BILL
Governor johnson Approves
japanese Legislation.
Land Measure Will Go Into
Effect August II.
ACT To A REFERENDUM VOTE
Washington Looks to New So
luton of Question.
Japs Not in Sympathy With
New Methods.
ACT TO A REFERENDUM VOTE

Sacramento, May 19.-Governo1
johnson signed today the alien lane
bill against which japan protests anc
which the California legislature passed
by an overwhelming majority over the
remonstrances of President Wllsor
and Secretary Brayn.
The act will go into effect ninety
days from date, or on August II.
Johnson's Statement
Sacramento, May Ex-Governor
johnson. after signing the bill, gave
out the following statement
ct repeat what I have before said;
THAT California for the first time
in it's history has an anti-alien law.
ssAuv man who wishes another kind
of law may consistently invoke tne
Initiative. No man who really wishes
an anti-alien law will sign refer-
endum as to this law
.eIf another law is sought, it may
be presented by means OF the lnltla-
tive and in the meantime the present
law will be in operation. To tie up
the present law means no law uAtl
November, 1914"
Formal Reply of Q. S. Now.
Washington, May 19.-Now that
Governor johnson has signed the anti
alien land law the next stage in the
diplomatic negotiations Will De tne
formal delivery of the reply OF the
limited States to the Japanese note.
The communication has been consid-
cred by President Wilson and the
cabinet and it is understood has been
withheld from delivery to the Jap
anese ambassador only to await Gov
ernor Johnson's signing the bill.
When Secretary Bryan heard
through the news dispatches that
Governor johnson had signed the bill,
he went over to the executive offices
for a short conference with President
Wilson. When he came from the
presidents office Secretary Bryan an
nounced that the formal reply of the
United States to the Japan protest
would be delivered as soon as official
notification of the signing of the bill
had been received. Mr.. Bryan ex-
poets a telegram from Governor
johnson.
Washington, May 19.-The move
ment in California to submit the
anti-alien act to a referendum is un-
6erstood to be viewed by the admin
istration as affording further oppor
tunity for diplomatic adjustment of
the issues between the United States
and Japan
1t had been assumed here that be-
cause of the apparently overwhelm-
ing sentiment in California in favor
of Japanese exclusion from land own
ing, there might be difficulty in Sc
curing the 10000 signatures necessary
to invoke the referendum. Now, how
ever, that the exclusion element itself,
or rather, its most radical component
the Asiatic Exclusion league-has
taken up the movement, the probabil-
ity of its success have greatly in
creased, in the official judgment.
The japanese government is not ex-
pected to approve of that method of
dealing with its protests, though prob |
ably it will be difficult for the Toxic
foreign Office to find technical grounds |
for objection to the method in which |
California is attempting to legislate.
Officials here feel that Japan re- |
CARDS the present as the best time per- |
manenuy to settle the question and |
that it will contemplate with ;mpa-
tience a delay of at least a year and a |
half, even though in the interim the |
proposed laws were not applied to the |
japanese of California.