The Hartford republican., 1913-05-02
alien Land
BILL PASSED
Bryan Fails In California
Senate.
Secretary Of States Long Confer
ence With Legislators
Of No Avail. =.


Sacramento. Cal, April eff the
purpose of the visit of Secretary Of
State Bryan was to check further
action by the Legislature on an alien
SQnd law. directed against the Japan
ese. his mission has peen failure.
The conferences between Secretary
Bryan and the legislators closed at
1i:30 o'clock tonight. Within three
minutes, and before most Of the
spectators knew what had occurred.
Senator A. E. Boynton, president pro
tenn, of the upper house. convened
the Senate and an amended land bill,
which provides that no alien who is
ineligible to citizenship under the
laws of the United States may hold
real property in California. was ad-
opted as q substitute for the pending
measure, by unanimous viva voce
vote.
II will come up for final passage
In the regular course of business on
Thursday morning and probably will
be approved and when 1t comes to
Gov. Johnson it will be signed. That
is the opinion OF the leaders.
The new bill Is drawn in strict
conformity with the treaty between
Japan and the U. s. but all efforts
TO secure an opinion from Secretary
Bryan or President Wilson failed,
ksnd the State leaders decided forth
With to proceed with their plans for
enacting 1t into law.
Secretary Bryan brought into the
final conference tonight further me:S
sages from President Wilson. but
Gey met with no response from the
~Legislators. At the close of the secret
meeting Gov. Johnson and number
OF the Administration leaders, said
their opinions remained unchanged.
Attorney General U. s. Webb draft
ed the new measure at the suggestion
of Gov. Johnson. and a 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, pro-
gressiye Republican leaders are con-
fident they have arrived at a solu-
tion OF the problem that will receive
the indorsementof President Wilson.
Secretary Bryan declined to CON-
ment upon the new bill except in
the conference.
The principal features OF the bill
ara as follows:
First-All aliens eligible to citizen
ship may acquire and hold land in
United States.
Second-All other aliens may ac-
Quire and hold land Gin the manner
aiM to the extent and for thepur-
poses prescribed by any treaty now
existing between the Government of
the United States and the nation or
country of which such alien is a.
cingzen or subject.
Third-COrporations 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 citizen
ship. are protected. 10.
Fifth-The State specifically re-
serves its sovereign right to enact
any and all laws relating, to the ac-
Quisition or holding OF real property
by aliens.
Attorney General Webb worked up-
on the theory that there could be no
objection to writing into the statue
the specific limitations OF thee Jap
anese treaty of 1911.
Under the terms of this treaty.
Jsnanese subjects are permitted to
own "houses and lands for residen-
tial purposes; factories. manufac-
turies and shops" according to Mr..
Webb. Another clause permits Japan
ese subjects to. lease land for resi-
delAial and commerce purposes"
These are the only stipulations
made. and 1t Is the belief of the At
torney 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 leas-
cd by Janapese for agricultural pur-