The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1920-10-23
FATE OF JAPANESE
FARMERS TO BE
DECIDED NOV. .

posed TO amending the present Law
! that the leasing OF hand for CONNER
fetal purposes. contemplated the priv
age of leasing agricultural lands. The
voters OF the state have had the lega
yerbiage of the measure clarified by
arguments for and against Il respec
ltiyely. by Y 5. Meelaionf. publisher
ot the Sacramento. (call Bee. and
by John r Irish an extensive land
owner Of Stocxton. Gal.
In behalf OF the measlrs, Mr.. Mc.
Catchy says in part
Through the measure. California
seeks. as IS her Inherent right. 10
preserve her lands for Americans.
precisely as Japan preserves her
lands for the japanese rs primary
purpose is 70 urohibit Oeiertals who
cannot become Amerirsa citizens
from controlling our ricn asriculture
lands.
Our present treaty Of commerce
and navigation with Jaaaa deliber.
asely omits. from the privileges
granted the japanese In this country.
either ownership or lease OF agricul-
tural lands Japan has always pr2-
hibited ownership, or Iease. Or use
of agricultural lands in Jaran BY
Americans or other foreigners.
~Orientals. and mors particularly
Japanese having commenced TO Sc
cure control of agricultural lands IN
'allfornia. there was enacted in 1918.
che Alien Land Law. whssa prohibit.
20 oWnershtr-or lease beyond three
years of agricultural lanis by aliens
Ineligible 20 citizenship.
In defense Of that lau. through
various suDterfuves. Including dummy
eorpora;ions and minor rativeliorn |
children Orieutals. largely Japanese
are fast securing control OF the rich. !
est irrigated lands in the state
through lease Or ownership. the pro.
portion already controlled in some /
COUNTIES being from 10 10 rs per
cent
THE initiative measure simply
loses the loophole in the 1918 law
which permits violation anI evasion
hereof. IN addition it forbids even
short leases"
'n bis arsument against the meas.
IRE. Mr. Irish discusses the com ner.
'ial treaty with Janan. ans declares
hat IN rs economic definition com.
neree consists Of producficr trans
mutation and exchange; production is
ne ranking element because without
there can be no commerce. h
The treaty Is intended then" the
osition argument continues. 10
i've the Japanese privilege to enter 4
pon complete commerce. ard there. !
pre- protects their right ID lease land
DIT production. Any other interDre.
sEion of the treaty twists the plain
'nguage OF the treaty into .ain rene u
tion.
Considered in the Ign. OF the
onFieenth amendment to the consti.
i'ion of the United States. which
US No state shall deny tc anv Der.
p within its Jurisdiction tho eoual
'otection OF the laws. we find tho
liiative is in conflict with our con.
tuition since it proposes q dtscrim.
a'ofy classification OF slicns. con-
rrlFt upon one class ;he protection
the law which Il denies to another
ass.
Inis discrimination applies also to
2 'fsaslng Of land denied ID Japan.
q d permitted to other aliens II
=" les to the feature Of the mi.
4" which subjects japanese min
who own land to the gaardianshin
the public administratc.. but az.
ipts other alien minors uho own y
~ from such guardianship Y
Inc measure has two distinct nur.
ses. according to Mr.. Irish. and
ese are First. to forhli the leas. =
OF land to Jaranese anl Chinese =
9 second, to take land-owring min
I" those races from the natural o.
aru'anship OF the parents and com. !,
I them to the control OF lublic ad- e
nistrators.- n
loncluding his argument to The
'ers OF California, Mr.. irish saws. !,
considering In its effect upon the
'downers Of the state. the initia.
e under penalty OF tonfiscation ~
onibits them from leasing land 70 on
certain class OF persons. II the m
'te can DO that 1t also can compel
id-owners, under penalty o. congss-
fion. to lease their lands to a Ger ST.
n class of persons"