Arizona republican., 1913-05-06
Revision of Statutes Draws Attention to Land Law in This State Prohibiting Alien Ownership of Real Property
HAS BEEN LAW
 MORE THAN YEAR
In Present Form Approved i'll May, 1912-Repassed Yesterday-The Japanese Vigorously Deny Right of State to So Act

Claiming that House Bill 34 which sentatives yesterday is ultra wires" and in contravention of the treaty between the United States and Ja-
 pan, the Japanese now residing in Phoenix will attend a meeting called for Sunday at 2:30 D. m. by the Ja- ranese association to enter a vigor- ous protest against any discrimina ton against the subjects of the Elm peror of Japan in the matter of holding lands in Arizona. Also d mass meeting will be held on May IS at which all the Japanese now residing in the state it is expected will attend, and an address will be given by the Japanese Consul Y Nu- mano n9 San Francisco.
 Last Wednesday. the Secretary of the association. Oros Taanaka. re ceived a copy of the proposed bill, and after a careful peruSal of it inn mediately sent letter to Consul Nu mano enclosing a copy of the bill asking for instructions in regard to protesting against the proposed leg islation. The consul immediately wired his reply telling his country men to get busy and call a meeting and to forward the protest to Secre- tary of State Sidney P. Osborn, and to send d copy of the resolutions td the consul for transmission to Japan csc Ambassador Viscount Chinda so that protest could be made to the federal government.
 The sections in H. E. 34 objected to- do not constitute a new law. but only of .'an act to restrict aliens in the right to lease. acquire. and hold real estate that was passed by the first legislature and approved on May IS, 1912, subject to referendum for ninety days. as the referendum was not imposed it became law and incorporated in Oh. Il. Sess. l.. 1912 This law is incorporated in the aew code that is being passed by the legislature now in session. and even if the protest of the Japanese is sufficient to prevent the passage of this act, the law will still be in force having passed the first session of the legislature.
 The particular part of the bill that the Japanese object to is Chapter .. which provides that persons not eligible to citizenship shall not hold and for longer period than IiNe years under lease nor hold lands under liens or deeds for d longer period At the end of the term men toned the lands shall revert and es- cheat to the State of Arizona. Aliens those who do not take out papers declaring their intention of applying for citizenship and persons not eligi- ble to citizenship are subject to the operations of the act.
 Speaking to The Republican last night Oros Taanaka, the secretary of the association, said We Japanese do not desire to force our claims for citizenship upon the United States. we only desire that we may own land that we may purchase in the open market and that we may leave this land to our heirs and success sors We are perfectly willing to pay the taxes demanded. even if we do not get representation in the leg islatiVe bodies of the country. we are willing to obey the laws of the land and we trust that the little differences that have now arisen be- tween our people and the people of the United States may soon be set tied tremendously.