The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1913-05-15
CalifOrnia-The Japs-A Rebel
Yell-An Editors Blue
Pencil.

THE following communication reached us
too late for last weeks paper.
notice that it appeared in last Thursdays
issue of the Atlanta Constitution.
Flovilla, Ca, May g. 1913.
Editor of The Jeffersonian.
Referring to the California; Japanese land
question, wherein the Japanese Government is
protesting the passage of the California anti-aen
land law, which Government is being strenu-
ousy seconded in it's protest by the President and
his gifted Secretary, it is very probable the Japa-
nese Government is right in it's protest.
number of the men of the South yet
wildly call to mind the brutal insstence of Cali
fornia and the remainder of the Northern States
who fought the South in the War between the
States, that as a condition precedent to their
re-admission to the American Union, and the
turning over to them unfettered with military
domination, Of their State Governments, that the
Southern States must ratify the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the
Constitution of the United States.
The last clause of the Fourteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the United States is as fol-
lows: Nor shall any State deny to any person
within it's jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws
The Supreme Court of the United States con-
STRUNG this clause of the Fourteenth amendment
in the case of Yick Wo Chinaman VS.. Hop
kins, 118, U. S., 1885, said,
"Nor the provisions of the Fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution confined to the
protection of citizens. These provisions are uni
versal in their application to all persons within
the territorial Jurisdiction without regard to any
difference of race, of color, of nationality and
the equal protection of the law is pledge of the
protection of EQUAL RIGHTS To more fully
afford this protection U. S. Rev. Stat. Sec. 1877,
was passed"
The passage of the Fourteenth amendment was
the greatest blow to the doctrine of State sove-
reignty suffered during the war, and was forced
upon the American Union the protests of
the South, and was passed to prohibit the South
IN
the negro population by name without including
the remainder of the people in the law.
1t will be readily observed that from the word
ing of the Fourteenth amendment and the deci-
sion above cited that it is very probable the
legislature of the State of California has not
now the power to prohibit aliens from owning
land in the State, but the question is for the
Congress to legslate on. California deprived
herself of this right when she was so eager to
deprive the old South of this simple right of
police protection, to prohibit certain classes from
doing that which her own citizens are allowed
to do.
The proper thing to do is for the Northern
States to apologize to the South for their ignOr-
ance and meanneSs in forcing the war amend
ments in the Constitution and then take the lead
in asking for their repeal. Until this is done
California ought to be required to live up to the
Constitution and give to Japs and Chinks the full
measure of their rights as she expects the South
to accord to the negro population.
To my mind the Japanese treaty has nothing
to do with the question, but the Constitution of
WendelI Philips, mad stephens and Lloyd Car
rison, is controlling and the Supreme Court will
declare the California statute void.
Respectfully,
O. NJ DUKE.
The line which is printed in bold face,
does not appear in the Constitution. The
prudent editor ran his little blue pencil
through it.
Some editors seem to think they are not
boss of the shop unless they use the blue pen
Gil on everything that rolls by.
We reproduce Mr.. Dukes card, just as he
wrote it: and if anV assaults and batteries