Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1913-04-22
SENDS JOHNSON A TELEGRAM
ASKS THE GOVERNOR TO PUT
THE MATTER soUARELY UP
TO THE PEOPLE.
IT is A NATIONAL ISSUE
LAW EXCLUDING JAPANESE WILL
HURT THE INTEGRITY or
THE UNITED STATES.

Washington, April 22.-President
Wilson, after a conference with the
democratic delegation from Califor.
MIA in convention today, decided to
telegraph Governor Johnson and leg
islative leaders in California appeal
ing to them OF to enact any anti
alien land laws in contravention of
treaty. obligations of the United
States with Japan
The telegram was as Iollows:
4 speak upon the assumption,
which 1 am sure is well founded, that
the people of California do not desire
their representatives and that their
representatives do not desire or r.
tend--in any circumstances--to embar-
rass the government of the United
States in its dealing with a nation
with whom it has most earnestly and
cordially 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 obligations or cast a doubt on
the honor and good faith of the ma
tion and its government.
4 therefore appeal with the utmost
confidence to the people, the COVER
nor and the legislature OF California
TO act in the matter now under con
sideration in a manner that cannot
from any point of view be fairly chal-
lenged or called in question. If they
deem it necessary to exclude all
aliens who have not declared their in
tentions to become citizens from the
privileges of land ownership they can
do so along lines already followed in
the laws of many Of the other states
and of many foreign countries, includ-
ing Japan herself Insidious discrim-
ination will inevitably draw in ques-
tion the treaty obligations of the
United States.
Il register a very earnest and very
respectful protest against discrimina-
ton in this case, not only because /
deem it my duty to do so as the chief
executive of the nation, but also, and
the more readily, because l believe
the people and the legislative author
titles Of California will generously re-
spond the moment the matter is
frankly presented to them as ques-
ton Of national policy and OF national
honor. If they have ignored this
point of view, it is, am sure, because
they do not realize what and how
much was involved.
The California democratic congress
sional delegation, consisting of Rep
resentatives Ketmer, Raker and
Church, called on the president about
appointments today, but Mr. Wilson
deferred that subject and Immediately
took up the alien land situation He
told his visitors that he had no de,
sire to seem to be in any way en-
croaching upon the sovereign right OF
California TO legislate as she pleased
but that he felt it was his duty to call
the attention of the leaders in the
state to the international question in
volved.
Mr. Raker told the president that
If his course in appealing to the leg
islature proved futile. its influence
might be to cause the submission o.
any law passed to a referendum The
president is said to be confident thai
the people Of California, II they had
AZ opportunity TO vote on the meas
ure, would not approve q law which
tie federal government pointed ou
vas Is violation 81 the treaty obliga
tons
Today'a iele@am q Governor John
con, which Was duplicated % ihi
president II ~ senate sne tlle spsas
g 81 lle hepse y lbe assembly vel
eeyel9ly feNs'gefea NJ seefeiafl
kggA ae4 pepHefs " lbe eepiee