CALIFORNIA PASSES ANTI-ALIEN LAW; BRYAN LEAVES
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY ENACTS LAND MEASURE AS PASSEED BY SENATE
Webb Bill Becomes Law by Action of Lower House of State Legislature -- Now Goes to Gov. Johnson.
DEMOCRATS FOR IT UPON FINAL VOTE
SACRAMENTO, Saturday, May 3 -- The anti-alien land bill, drafted by Attorney-General Webb at the direction of Governor Johnson and administration leaders, passed the assembly tonight with an overwhelming majority.
Numerous attempts to change the bill were made, chief among them being an amendment offered by Chandler and Inman, which would have substituted for the senate measure the bill passed by the assembly on April 15 carrying the words "ineligible to citizenship" and the clause prohibiting the ownership of land by corporations a majority of whose stockholders are ineligible to citizenship.
All of these proposed amendments were defeated one after the other and at the end of a debate which lasted nearly until midnight, the roll was called on the Webb bill as it came from the Senate and it was passed by a vote of 72 to 3. Woodley and Gates, Progressives, and Guiberson, Democrat, voted in the negative. All the other Democrats voted for it.
The bill now goes to the governor.
Progressives Insistent.
When the assembly reconvened the debate on Chandler's amendment, which was combined with Inman's, was continued. During the dinner hour, the Progressive leaders had canvassed the situation and impressed upon their followers the necessity of voting down all amendments and passing the Senate bill if they wanted any measure passed at all. No attempt was made to shut off debate and nearly every member insisted on being heard on some phase of the question.
The debate was dull and prosaic and all who took up the time of the members confessed that one would make any change in the result. But they talked on and on, some occasionally getting a burst of applause from the people in the gallery and the spectators who were privileged to occupy seats on the main floor.
It was long after 10 o'clock when the members finally made up their minds to vote on the Chandler-Inman amendment and then, when they were all ready to have the roll called, Inman slipped in a substitute to strike the leasing clause from the Webb bill. This opened up the whole subject again and all the orators went at it once more. The Inman amendment was finally lost by the vote of 14 to 546.
Bohnett Closes Debate.
Bohnett, Progressive floor leader, closed the debate by saying that in the judgment of the Progressives it was the best measure that could be had.
Then the roll was called and all the Democrats except Guiberson swung into line in favor of it. Gates and Woodley of Los Angeles said they voted against it because they believed the bill was wrong in principle.
Permits Leasing of Lands.
The bill as passed contained the amendment which allows aliens to lease lands for a period of three years.
Attempts to amend the bill by striking out the leasing clause failed in the assembly.
Hundreds witnessed the closing scenes of the anti-alien drama, cheering the speakers who demanded the passage of a stringent law. The Japanese who witnessed the passage of the bill left the capitol, plainly showing their emotion.
The bill is the most drastic ever introduced in the California Legislature. Many legislatures opposed the leasing clause, charging that it would allow
BRYAN MAKES LAST VAIN APPEAL TO LEGISLATORS
SACRAMENTO, Saturday, May 3. -- Leaving a final plea to the California Assembly to take no action on anti-alien land legislation at the present session, Secretary of State Bryan departed late today as the Democratic members of that legislative body were appealing, in flights of oratory, to the Progressive majority to take no action on the Webb anti-alien land law.
Bryan's plea was made before the members of both the Senate and Assembly just before his train departed, but it was aimed at the members of the Assembly, who stopped their discussion of the Webb bill long enough to hear the secretary of state.
In his farewell address, he thanked the legislators for the kind reception they had tendered him. He explained that President Wilson had sent him to California because of the international phases of the anti-lien [anti-alien] law and that the Legislature had found it inconsistent to follow the President's advice on the wording of the law. In conclusion he said:
"Let me recall President Wilson's preferences in regard to anti-alien land legislation as they have been stated to you.
"First: The postponement of action at this time, reminding you again that under your constitution the Legislature can be convened at any time to deal with the subject as the necessities of the case may require.
"Second. If action is deemed necessary, he would prefer such action as has been taken by the state of Illinois, where no distinction is made between aliens and a liberal time allowed during which an alien can hold property.
"Third: If it is deemed necessary to still further restrict the holding of property, he prefers such a law as the District of Columbia now has, where the ownership of real estate is confined to citizens and to those who have declared their intentions of becoming citizens.
"Fourth: Whatever the form of the law, he earnestly advises against the use of words intended to draw a distinction between those eligible to citizenship and those ineligible."
On behalf of the Legislature, Senator Gates thanked Bryan and Wilson for the interest shown by the federal government in affairs which, he said, were of vital importance to the Pacific Coast.