Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-22
Japanese Note
 not Answered
THIRD PROTEST FAILED TO
 ELICIT A REPLY.
WEBB BILL DISCUSSED
Foreign Minister Addresses Japanese Parliament and Announces Ameri- can Replies Unsatisfactory.

Washington. Jan. 21.-An address-by Daron Noouak1 Makino, the Japanese
 foreign minister to the parliament of Japan today, outlining the status of associations over the California alien iand legislation and declaring that the Japanese government had come to see the necessity of considering some other
 ways for solution of the question:.
 because the replies of the United states had not been found satisfac- tory, was cabled in full from Tokio 10 the Japanese embassy here
 The address which was not com
 mented upon in official circles, an nounced that the third note of pro- test presented to Secretary Bryan by Ambassador Chinda on August Is.
 remained unanswered. It also revealed the fact that the ambassador under
 instructions from Tokio, saw Presi- dent Wilson on March ., the day after the presidents inauguration and ask eu that he make an effort to stop the threatened legislation in California which has since been enacted.
 Foreign Ministers Address. The full text of the address as made public by the embassy tonight fol- lows:
 Tn the state legislature of califor- mia the bills Of aHti-Japanese charac- ter have been regularly introduced at its sessions for more than ten years past Thanks to the good offices earn estly exercised by the United States
 government and thanks also to proper steps opportunely taken by the gov
 ernment and people of Japan. nothing i of serious moment, did, fortunately. occur. but at the fortieth session of the legislature which assembled last year.
 bill known as the Webb bill aiming at prohibition of ownership of real | property by Japanese was passed by an overwhelming majority. It was 1 signed by the governor on the 18th day of May. and became operative on the 10th of August
 The new act places Japan on different footing from other aliens and the main point in dispute between the ! two countries has been the diScrin1- 1 inatOry treatment resulting from this ! act In view of the situation which
 prevailed in California. the imperial ] government thought 1t necessary fc 1 call special attention of the new sd- Ininistratfon to the matter and in l Structed our anbaSsador 10 seek an interview. which was given by the ncF president on the 5th Of March, the ] first opportunity presented after his ! inauguration.
 Influence Used Against Webh Bill.
 Tn the interview the ambassador ! earnestly requested. under Instructions [ of his government. that the new execu- | tive would. considering the friendly [ relations of the two nations. take prop ] CT steps and make best efforts to stop | threatened legislation of the alien land ! ownership bill The president thanked | the ambassador for the representation ! thus made and stated that. although ! the federal government could not in ! terfere with rights reserved to several states of the union, he would not hes | itate to use the best possible efforts ! so as to realize the wish of the i'm l perial government. On the 18th of ] March~the same assurance was elicfted ] by the ambassador from MT Bryan, ! secretary of state. In California also 7 our consul used his best efforts in &C., 1 cordance with our Instructions. The ! San Francisco (Panama-PaciflcJ ex- i position and considerable number of the chambers of'commerce and other ! influential bodies opposed such anti Japanese legislation. Similar views
 were also freely expressed in the press ! Tn the meantime no small number cif ! Americans who hold due regard for ] justice and international good relations volunteered their hearty cooperation i with the Japanese in utilizing sll 1 means to bring the question to 8 sat ! isfactory conclusion.
 1; Another Cali on President.
 i However, the situation changed | rapidly and the passage of the anti ] Japanese bill seemed to be more as ! sured. Then Niscount Chinde- under ] instructions from the imperial govern ment, had an interview with tho sec 1 retary of state on the 18th of April and one with the president onf the 18th 1 Of April. In both interviews, the am 1 bassador reiterated that the imperial ! government, having in view the honor 1 of the nation, could not but attach great importance to the question and | asked the president and the secretary 1 of state that more efforts be made | to prevent the passage of the bill then pending. To this both the president 1 and the secretary of state responded 1 of the Japanese government and that. ! although the fact that right to grant 1 land ownership lay entirely within the l jurisdiction of the state. would make
 the solution of the situation difficult, | the American government was detHe-
 mined to use all means at their com nand to bring about a solution: Both | requested the ambassador to make tha { attitude of their government well uu-. | derstood to his government.
 | Bill Passed in Spite of All Efforts.
 "On the 18th of April the president directed the secretary of state to tel egraph to the governor of CaiIfornfa. I advising him to change the terms of the bill and not to use the formula Of | eligibility to citizenship for the pur- 1 pose of drawing a distinction in the matter of enjoyment of rights. More 1 telegrarns followed this from the pres l ident on the 32nd of April and the first
 of May, and from the secretary of state on the 11th of May to the governor In the meantime the ambassador held 1 several interviews with the secretarr ! of state. and. explaining repeatedly | that the bill was contrary to the prfn- 1 ciple and spirit of the treaty. eqz3eav- 1 ored 10 cause the contention of the inn ] perial government to be fully appre- | ciafed by the American -governm ent ! and urged that no such enactment 1 producing a discriminatory effect against Japan should be passed The 1 president then. decided to send the sec retary of state to California. and the ! latter reached the state capital on the 12th, of April He appeared in joint ses- sions of the two houses of the legisla- ! ture to explain personally the request i of the federal government and to pre- j; sent their suggestions. Despite all available efforts used by the secretary of state to make the legislation less objectionable, the governor and mem | bers of the legislature who supported him strictly adhered to the principle l that the rights of the state must not | be interfered with and the b1n was