hardly any place left where they could enter. Nevertheless up to ten years ago Japanese immigrants landing at San Francisco and Seattle did fairly well in the operation of restaurants and laundries in those cities. But they encountered great opposition and persecution from the unions, and rather than remain in occupations where they must stand in competition with those earlier residents they abandoned these occupations for one involving harder work and a less pleasurable life. They had to enter the fields abandoned by European immigrants, the poorest agricultural lands. This is the way the Japanese have developed the farms.

Meanwhile not only was there almost no opposition to or competition with the Japanese, but among the Japanese farmers intending to engage in new agricultural enterprises there was always the thought that they had come to America and must not lose their attitude of respect for the residents who were here before.

To this end it has come to be an unwritten law, that as far as practicable the sphere of their activities and development shall be in the direction of agriculture. Necessary articles of every day use, clothing, food, and household goods, and most of the materials needed in the business, are purchased from American stores. And even in the streets of cities, shops, restaurants and other places of business are not to be set up in places where there would be competition with Americans. Certainly there is no effort to compete with residents who were here before. A good example of this is Livingston which has been mentioned before.

In consequence of the disadvantageous fact that the Japanese were late comers the products with which they have to do for the most part are such as require extremely hard work in production, or are unprofitable, or else such as can not well be produced except by Japanese. This fact is another strong proof that Japanese are not in the position of competitors with other farmers.

Comparing the total agricultural output of the State of California, and the principal products, with the total output of the Japanese and their principal products, we find that according to the report of Dr. Hecke, President of the California Bureau of Agriculture for 1918, the value of grapes and other fruits was $171,626,000 and of grain and vegetables $351,400,000, total $523,026,000. And according to investigations of the Japanese Agricultural Association of California at the close of 1918, the value of Japanese farm products was $53,375,000, that is, about 10 per cent of the total output was produced by Japanese. Of this 10 per cent of farm products, those with which Japanese have most to do are truck crops such as strawberries, asparagus, celery, and tomatoes, of which 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the entire output in the state is produced by Japanese. But these crops all require a stooping posture, great manual dexterity and painstaking methods of work which other laborers with long legs unsuitable for stooping can not endure. Not only this, but this is a kind of farming which Americans and immigrants from Europe dislike to follow. Hence it is perfectly clear that if the Japanese had nothing to do with this kind of farming the output of such products in California would be reduced more than half. In the growing of cantaloupes, which are produced in the United

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States only in localities with the hottest climates, like the Imperial Valley in California and Rocky Ford in Colorado, where they are mostly produced, the heat at ripening time is intense, especially in the Imperial Valley, where it exceeds 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The land there is below sea level and the entrance is called the gate of hell, which shows the popular impression as to climate. It is a disagreeable, **Sanitary PARICIL When the wind blows the whole house is filled with yellow dust and no matter how closely the doors are shut, the rooms and even the closets are covered with dust. It is impossible even to speserve the fedstuffs completely.

This wegen for years has been an abandoned waste where nobody dead to settle. Moreover, the Japanese had never seen cantaloupes bee own suity and, of course, had absolutely no experience in

in normal circumstances there is no reason why Japanese should be connected with farming in a is so sareale. But here again their grievous somers rade the luxury of choice in climate, conige vers a which they were experienced, impossible. lance left for them except in work which most AmeriGUNGSIS could not do, or work which they never Therefore, they had to engage in such hazardous and

bard, ʼn the slture of such products as grain, fruit, the work is done with comparative convenience where the labor of cultivation is not difficult em langer, the fact that the cultivation of ged on also among American farmers, even cpened up and its cultivation begun by the hat the charge that the Japanese are driving HEN IT IN Sempetitors against them, is an idle * den a fact.

JALANANESE LAND OWNERSHIP.

ふ

Cazanese debaters and Americans in ersted ideas of the real situation of the land.

Zacazese in California, according to

a Central Farmers Association at based prior to the enforcement

av and eso las purchased after the law

ren, did not exceed 30,305 acres.

ent into effect in 1913 they held the total land area of the state,

od 1 3281. Of the total farming land

Ca' (orela, 27.9'1dce doma it is not more than 1/921. Lately the anni doppose agitators have been declaring that the apanose, in spite of the land law, are busily forming companies with Americans and making extensive purchases of land, and that soon all the land of California will be in their hands. But this is mere idle We believe that anyone who considers the matter frankly and Mas will admit that, in the nature of the case, the ownership e of shares of stock in land companies in which a majority

of the stock is owned by Americans is in no way dangerous. On the contrary, there is no knowing to what extent California could be developed and the interests and welfare of Americans promoted if Americans, possessing wide tracts of land and large capital, would give part of their stock to Japanese in order to bring out their superior agricultural skill.

For three thousand years the Japanese in the narrow confines of their native land have cultivated the soil and have made it produce food for 60,000,000 people, a surprising fact of deep significance. On the other hand, it enables one to imagine what trouble and distress they have undergone in order to preserve the productivity of the soil, and on the other hand, the fact that to the Japanese farmer the habit of valuing and taking care of the land has become second nature must not be overlooked. We believe that in all the world the Japanese people have no superiors in the matter of producing large crops from small areas and in the habitual skill with which they are able to restore the productive energy of the soil. We do not think that even the Danes, who have world-wide fame for their intensive farming, surpass the Japanese in this respect. Look, for example, at the illustrations of this in California. The Japanese, who were late comers, when they took up farming had to settle on the poorest lands in California, as can be easily imagined by the poorness of the soil in the vicinity of Florin, Livingston and Bowles near Fresno, where Japanese farmers are peacefully settled. But the Japanese with their inherited three thousand years experience in restoring the energy of the soil, had no sooner settled there than, like king Midas, they converted those regions immediately into the best farming districts of California. We think this fact proves the above statements regarding the skill of Japanese in the treatment of land.

Examples of the way in which Japanese farmers are converting abandoned farms into excellent ones have already been written up frequently by American investigators, but we wish to add another instance. Eleven years ago a Japanese farmer at Livingston bought from an Italian or Portuguese farmer who had become weary of country life and abandoned it, a fifteen acre field of desolate land planted with old almond and fig trees which had almost ceased to bear. The Japanese purchaser had become fond of farming and desired to establish there a permanent home. This industrious settler bought up manure from the nearby town and spaded it into the old field. While others irrigated once, he irrigated two or three times. He cultivated deeply and painstakingly over and over again, and while taking measures to restore the soil he also pruned the old fruit trees, grafting in branches of improved varieties, spraying to drive out injurious insects three or four times where others sprayed but once, and as the result of this improved culture there is probably no fruit farm to be seen in California which compares with this one.

And not only so, he has an improved home, lives like the Americans, is educating his children, and enjoys the perfect confidence of the Americans in the vicinity.

This is but a single example. We could adduce any number of similar examples among the Japanese settled farmers in various places, but this will suffice here.

EN FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC TREATMENT

..1

i

t

ration to say that the great E oldings of farm land by Japanese tei areas of uncultivated land. pak

fnstigators who are frighten ag Here is already a "Gentlemen's Arran ments of both nations should do their lew mmigrants, but the attempt to roo nne country and peacefully living on the American spirit, ideals, manners,

s. f their liberty to cultivate the soil # is something which we do not he Americans, who respect the 15 rady secured, will venture to do. mai lemain and excess of popularadually tending to leniency in 13 t there are absolutely no disis rom road. Moreover, the tend

daily towards new ideals which

sei on race and nationality. ortunity, a land which boasts warts all and it is the spirit of - vich is making America ne Amerieans of this new Pharwas of ancient Egypt en Fouad but that, by nase forces the future

PROPOSED INITIATIVE, AMENDING CALIFORNIA ALIEN LAND LAW.

(Election November 2, 1920.)

PROPERTY RIGHTS AND DISABILITIES OF ALIENS IN CALIFORNIA. Initiative Measure to Be Submitted Directly to the Electors. ALIEN LAND LAW. INITIATIVE ACT. PERMITS ACQUISITION AND TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY BY ALIENS ELIGIBLE TO CITIZENSHIP, TO SAME EXTENT AS CITIZENS EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW; PERMITS OTHER ALIENS, AND COMPANIES, ASSOCIATIONS AND CORPORATIONS IN WHICH THEY HOLD MAJORITY INTEREST, TO ACQUIRE AND TRANSFER REAL PROPERTY ONLY AS PRESCRIBED BY TREATY, BUT PROHIBITING APPOINTMENT THEREOF AS GUARDIANS OF ESTATES OF MINORS CONSISTING WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY OF REAL PROPERTY OR SHARES IN SUCH CORPORATIONS; PROVIDES FOR ESCHEATS IN CERTAIN CASES; REQUIRES REPORTS OF PROPERTY HOLDINGS TO FACILITATE ENFORCEMENT OF ACT; PRESCRIBES PENALTIES AND REPEALS CONFLICTING ACTS.

An act relating to the rights, powers and disabilities of aliens and of certain companies, associations and corporations with respect to property in this state, providing for escheats in certain cases, prescribing the procedure therein, requiring reports of certain property holdings to facilitate the enforcement of this act, prescribing penalties for violation of the provisions hereof, and repealing all acts or parts of acts inconsistent or in conflict herewith.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. All aliens eligible to citizenship under the laws of the United States may acquire, possess, enjoy, transmit and inherit real property, or any interest therein, in this state, in the same manner and to the same extent as citizens of the United States, except as otherwise provided by the laws of this state.

SEC. 2. All aliens other than those mentioned in section one of this act may acquire, possess, enjoy and transfer real property, or any interest therein, in this state, in the manner and to the extent and for the purpose prescribed by any treaty now existing between the government of the United States and the nation or country of which such alien is a citizen or subject, and not otherwise.

SEC. 3. Any company, association or corporation organized under the laws of this or any other state or nation, of which a majority of the members are aliens other than those specified in section one of this act, or in which a majority of the Issued capital stock is owned by such aliens, may acquire, possess, enjoy and convey real property, or any interest therein, in this state, in the manner and to the extent and for the purposes prescribed by any treaty now existing between the government of the United States and the nation or country of which such members or stock. holders are citizens or subjects, and not otherwise. Hereafter all aliens other than those specified in section one hereof may become members of or acquire shares of stock in any company, association or corporation that is or may be authorized to acquire, possess, enjoy or convey agricultural land, in the manner and to the extent and for the purposes prescribed by any treaty now existing between the government of the United States and the nation or country of which such alien is a citizen or subject, and not otherwise.

SEC. 4. Hereafter no alien mentioned in section two hereof and no company, association or corporation mentioned in section three hereof, may be appointed guardian of that portion of the estate of a minor which consists of property which such alien or such company, association or corporation is inhibited from acquiring, possessing, enjoying or transferring by reason of the provisions of this act. The public administrator of the proper county, or any other competent person or corporation, may be appointed guardian of the estate of a minor citizen whose parents are ineligible to appointment under the provisions of this section.

On such notice to the guardian as the court may require, the superior court may remove the guardian of such an estate whenever it appears to the satisfaction of the court:

(a) That the guardian has failed to file the report required by the provisions of section five hereof; or