The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-05-02
WILSON SEES
TEST or TREATY
Litigation May Follow Passage
Of Alien Land Bill
VJTE ON MEASURE TO-DAY
Secretary Bryan Visits Japanese Col
ony Near Sacramento and Stops at
District School.

Sacramento, Cal, May 2.-The vot'
bill, aimed at the Japanese, was pu
over until today on motion of Senate
Curtin, and the possibility of develop
mems before that time is being dis
cussed on all sides here.
This action was taken soon afte
the senate convened, and after the TO.
lowing telegram from President viii
son to Governor Johnson was mad
public by the governor:
Il take the liberty of calling you
attention to the Webb bill. which
would involve an appeal to the courts
on the question of treaty righs anC
bring on what might be long and deli
cate litigation"
Governor Johnson telegraphed thi
reply:
II thank you very much for you
suggestion. The fault may be due tt
the fact that we have endeavored tt
preserve affirmatively upon the fac
of our bill the existing treaty. l hav'
referred the matter at once to our at
torney general, and l would be eX
tremely grateful for any sugges ,ion
that would avoid the objection you
mention"
Governor Johnson transmitted thu
correspondence to Senator Thompson
one of the authors of the original aliel
land bill, with this comment:
A
eral Webb, we are unable to see how
any language can be employed which
might not be ultimately subject to thu
same objection that is suggested II
the presidents telegram.
"The attorney general in the bill
prepared has endeavored affirmativel.
to preserve all treaty rights, and an!
bill that might be passed upon the sub
ject of alien land ownership, of course
would, from our standpoint, endeavo
in the most emphatic fashion to pro
tect our national good faith In th'
matter of treaties that have hereto
fore been executed and none of u:
would impair-no matter what nigh
be the legal question involved-th'
obligations of any treaty that ma!
have been heretofore made.
"This being our desire, it seems tt
the attorney general and myself tina
no language can be employed that viii
not be equally open to the objection
suggested"
The Japanese problem as it actual!
exists on the farm and ranches O.
Sacramento valley was viewed at close
range by Secretary Bryan on two
hour automobile trip through the
thickly populated Florin district, tel
miles south of the capital.
Governor Johnson and Assemb'yma Al
Bradford accompanied the secretary
armed with facts and figures to ex
plain the scenes that met the eyes o.
their visitor, and Mr.. Bryan seemed
deeply interested. His only common
was that he had seen mot only Jap
anese colony, but very pretty Cali
fornia valley"
In the Florin district, embracing
about twenty-five square miles of rel
soil, there is population of 1900 Jap
anese farmers and 400 Americans
Twelve years ago there were less thar
a score of Japanese in the community
now they practically control the grape
and berry industry of that section
They own the factory where the berr!
boxes are made, and when the party
visited the shop Mr.. Bryan saw thirty
five Japanese girls at work. He wa!
told by Governor Johnson that si1
years ago American girls were EN-
ployed there at higher wages and with
shorter hours of labor.
A stop was made at the distric
school of Florin, where the party Wis
tied the first grade. 1t was a typica
schoolroom. with pictures of Washing
ton and Lincoln on the walls, but il
the seats below there were twenty
two Japanese children and twenty
American boys and girls. The Ameri
can youngsters were six and sever
years of age, while the japanese in
cluded several who were sixteen an6
so large that special desks had beer
supplied for them.
With the enactment of legislation II
sight, opinions on the measure are
conflicting, some observers contendins
that the Webb bill, drafted by Cali
fornia's attorney general, is really 2
more drastic anti-Japanese bill thar
any of the others considered, and 9th
ers contending that, from viewpo n
of diplomatic negotiations with ia
pan, it is a most satisfactory measure