Gilpin observer., 1913-04-24
PRESIDENT URGES THAT THE
GOVERNMENT BE NOT
EMBARRASSED.
APPEALS FOR FAIR ACT
CALIFORNIA MEASURE SPECIFIC
IN BARRING INELIGIBLE
ALIENS FROM LAND.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington, April 23.-President
Wilson, after a conference with the
Democratic delegation from California
decided to telegraph Governor John
son and legislative leaders in Califor-
mia appealing to them not to enact any
antl-alien laws in contravention of the
treaty obligations of the United States
with Japan. The telegram was as fol-
lows:
Il speak upon the assumption, which
4 am sure is well founded, that the
people of California do not desire
their representatives, and that their
representatives do not wish or intend,
In any circumstances, to embarrass
the government of the United States
in its dealings with nation with
whom it has most earnestly and cor
daily sought to maintain relations OF
genuine friendship and good will, and
that least of all do they desire to do
anything that might impair treaty OBJ
legations or cast doubt upon the
honor and good faith of the nation an
its government.
81 therefore appeal with the ut
most confidence to the people, the
governor and the Legislature of Cali
fornia to act in the matter now under
consideration in manner that can
not from any point of view be fairly
challenged or called in question.
IF they deem it necessary to ex-
clude all aliens who have not declared
their intentions to become citizens
from the privileges of land ownership
they can do so along lines already foi-
lowed in the laws of many of the 9th
er states and of many foreign coun-
tries, including Japan herself.
"Insidious discrimination will inev-
itably draw in question the treaty OBJ
legations of the United States.
Il register my very earnest and
very respectful protest against dis
elimination in this case, not only be-
cause | deem it my duty to do so as
the chief executive of the nation, out
also and the more readily because |
believe the people and the Legislative
authorities of California will generous
ly respond the moment the matter is
frankly presented to them as a ques-
tion of national policy and of national
honor. If they have ignored this point
of view, it is, am sure. because they
did not realize what and how much
was involved"
The President told visitors that he
had no desire to seem to be in any
way encroaching upon the sovereign
right of California to legislate as she
pleased, but that he felt it was ais
duty to call the attention of the lead
ers in the state to the international
question involved.
Representative Raker of California
told the President that if his course in
appealing to the Legislature proved
futile, its influence might be to cause
the submission of any law passed to
q referendum.
Sacramento. Calf. - 1t is now
planned by legislators here to
throw out entirely the guarded
language of the Thompson BirdsaI
anti-alien land bill and put in It's
place two simple prohibitions:
First-No alien who is ineligible to
citizenship shall be permitted to ac-
quire and hold land in California for
a period of more than one year after
date of such acquisition.
Second-No corporation, the major
ity of the stock of which is held by
aliens who are ineligible to citizen
ship shall be permitted to acquire and
hold land except for one year.