Las Vegas optic., 1913-04-30
THREE MINUTES REQUIRED
THE ACT APPROVED is ONE
DRAWN BY ATTORNEY GEN.
ERAL WEBB YESTERDAY
WASHINGTON is LISTENING
WILL NOT TAKE ITS NEXT STEP
UNTIL PROPOSED LAW is De
cIDED UPON

Sacramento, Calf, April 3O.-Cali-
fornia's first step toward the enact
ment of an alien land law contrary to
the advice of Secretary of State Bry
an and President Wilson, was taken
last night within three minutes after
Secretary Bryan told the legislative
conference that his official message
had been spoken, when the senate, be-
fore which the Birdsall-Thompson bill
was pending, met in a hurried ses-
sion, and within three minutes voted
to substitute for that measure the
new draft known as the Webb act,
which was completed by Attorney
General Webb only yesterday.
The substitute was adopted as an
amendment, and the bill sent to the
lcuse with a rush order.
Owing to the absence of Secretary
Bryan in San Francisco, whittier he
went today as the guest of the Pal
anna Pacific Exposition company, it is
the plan oil the senate leaders to take
no further action on the bill until
Thursday when it will come up in the
regular course of business and un-
doubtedly will be passed, it is said
1t will then go to the assembly and
to the governor, who has stated that
he viii sign the measure at once.
The phrase ineligible to citizen
ship" is avoided in the Webb bill by
providing two descriptions of aliens
and defining the rights of each, as
follows.
q. All aliens eligible to citizenship
may acquire and hold land in the
same manner as citizens of the United
States.
"2. All other aliens may acquire,
possess and transfer land, in the man
Ler and to the extent and for the pur-
poses prescribed by any treaty now
existing between the government Of
the United States and the nation or
country Of which such alien is citi.
zen or subject
As the treaty between the United
States and Japan specifics that land
may be acquired or leased only, for
residential purposes, or FOR factories
ard shops, the act is held to be a
rigid restriction upon the acquisition
of farming lands by the Japanese.
Senator Leroy A. Wright, republi
can, who opposes the bill, declares
the wording Of the act is subterfuge
intended to deceive the Japanese. DR.
David Starr Jordan, president of Stan
ford University, also declares the
measure carries the sting Of discrimi
nation, contrary to Secretary Bryan's
advice
The ineligibility Of japanese sub
1ects to become citizens Of the Unit
ed States under the laws OF Tins
government is the key note and prlr
cipai strength OF the substituts Webb
alien land bill, in spite of the facl
that the words objected to by secre
tary of State Bryan are not dsed II
the act.
The progressive leaders in the leg
islature admit that the proposed Law
would be ineffective II the Japanes'
brought test suit before the uaite'
States supreme court according =
their announced intention, and wer
successful In establishing their rien
10 become citizens.
Dispatches from Washington yei
terday Indicating that ihe federal ae
minlairaHon would look With fogo
upon such test eult aroused fear
~ grave consequences II case ip
iapanese succeeded g obtaining q ~
elelon b Nar favor
p would Do serious mistake "
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