Bisbee daily review., 1919-04-01
U. s. INVESTIGATION OF SALE OF MEXICAN
 PROPERTY ORDERED
Japanese Colonization Plan in Lower California
 Hits Obstacle
Ccontinued from Page onel


 of California-Mexican Land & Cattle mia to a Japanese syndicate is con- cerned, the owners of the land are ad- herring to the declaration made by them to the secretary of state in Feb ruary, 1917, in connection with the proposed lease of a comparatively small section of the company's hold ings to Japanese tenants. The follow ing abstract from a letter written by me, as president of the company and concurred in by the stockholders of the company, dated February 2S, 1917, to the department of state at ashing- ton:
 While my company is anxious to secure these reliable tenants, amply able to help to develop our property in Mexico, we are first of all American citizens and do not wish to make any move which could in any way preju dice a question which always appears to be a subject for agitation between the two countries. We will not, un- der the circumstances, consider mak ing any lease of this kind to Japanese, where colonization is probable, until we are first authoritatively informed that such arrangement will be agree able to the government of our own country.
 2 sffWe believe that most of the Jap anese labor for this enterprise will scome from the Pacific coast states and thus relieve to some extent the pres sure of this class of people now in the United States and will be an advant- age rather than a disadvantage.
 During these ticklish times we, a- large land owners in Mexico, are de termined to use scrupulous care in having this matter thoroughly thTesh- ed out in advance.
 T desire to call attention to an error in a statement made by the Mexican ! assistant secretary of interior, Gen 1 Amado Aguirre, as represent re- ported in the Associated Press dis i patches dated March 29 to the effect that the California Mexico Land < Cattle company's titles came through a concession from the former Mexican government. Neither the California Mexico Land 6 Cattle company nor its | grantors ever asked for or received 1 any concessions for any portion of the lands held by our company from the government of Mexico.
 The lands our company owns and controls were acquired by direct pur- chase for cash at the full price asked from the Mexican government and no concessions of any kind were ever asked for or received in connection 1 with the purchase of our landed prop l erty.
 ~The reference by the Mexican of ficial to special concessions made in connection with sale of these lands | must refer to lands adjoining ours which were secured by an American syndicate headed by J. Pierpont Nor gan at about the time our lands were purchased from the Mexican govern ment Their titles were secured through concessions which provides for special colonization efforts on the part of the purchasing syndicate.
 Pastor Rouix, secretary of the Mex iean fomento, visited Lower California a year ago and representative of our company offered to convey to Mex ican colonists at any reasonable price which could be mutually agreed upon, such acreage as might be required for Mexican colonization and so far as we know a very satisfactory understand ing exists between ourselves and the Mexican governments department ot fomento Gnterior).
 "It is fair to say that the Japanese who were negotiating for lease at , that time took precisely the same stand, as prospective tenants, that the owners of the land took, to-wit: That they did not desire to consummate the lease unless it was perfectly agree -ahle to the officials of our own state ,department"
 The property of the California-Mex- ico Land & Cattle company known as the c. NJ. ranch, comprises S3O,OOO acres running from the international boundary to the Gulf of California. It was originally S62, 900 acres, but S2,0OO acres was sold to John Cudahy about secen years ago. The tract comprises the Mexican portion of the Imperial valley.