1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/California

CALIFORNIA (see ). In 1920 the pop. was 3,426,861, as against 2,377,549 in 1910, an increase of 1,049,3 12, or 44.1%, as compared with 60.1% for the preceding decade. During 1910-20 the Japanese increased from 41,356 to 71,952; the Chinese decreased from 36,248 to 28,812. The density of pop. in 1920 was 22 to the sq. m.; in 1910 15.3. The urban pop. (in places of 2,500 or more) increased from 61.8% of the whole in 1910 to 68% in 1920, the urban pop. in the latter year being 2,331,729. Of the 185 cities in the state, only three, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland, had in 1920 more than 100,000 inhabitants. The table on the next page shows the growth during the decade 1910-20 of the 12 cities which in 1920 had a pop. of 25,000 or more.

History.&mdash;Many amendments to the constitution were ratified during the decade 1910-20. Among the more important were those for the initiative and referendum, the recall (including the recall of judges), woman suffrage, the granting of larger powers to the state railway commission, adoption of the short ballot, all these in 1911; in 1912 the provision of a uniform series of text-books for use in elementary schools together with their free distribution. In 1914 a proposed prohibition amendment to the constitution was defeated. In 1914 and again in 1920 the proposal of the Legislature that a convention be called to revise the constitution was overwhelmingly defeated. Important legislation included a workmen's compensation Act and the limiting of the hours of women's labour to 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week (1911); an Act providing for the confinement and care of drug addicts (1912); mothers' pensions; a blue sky law, designed to protect investors against unscrupulous promoters; and the sterilization of persons twice imprisoned for sexual crime (1913); provision for absent voting by those engaged in national service, for creating a state council of national defense to coöperate with the Federal Council of National Defense, and for the regulation of stages and automobiles, operating as common carriers over definite routes (1917); a compulsory part-time education law; vocational reëducation of workmen disabled in industry; raising of compulsory school age limit from 15 to 16; creation of a department of agriculture; provision of an industrial farm for the rehabilitation of fallen women; and ratification of Federal prohibition (1919).

In Nov. 1910 Hiram W. Johnson was elected governor. He had travelled through the state, attacking the &ldquo;special interests,&rdquo; particularly the Southern Pacific railway, which he accused

of improper influence in state legislation. His remarkable success in carrying through a comprehensive programme of legislation is shown by the passage of the measures referred to. When, following the break in the Republican party in 1912, the National Progressive party was organized, Johnson was nominated for vice-president on the ticket with Theodore Roosevelt. In the succeeding election the results were extraordinarily close and long in doubt; Roosevelt secured a plurality of 174 over Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic candidate, the popular vote being 283,610 for Roosevelt and 283.4.36 for Wilson. In 1916 the popular presidential vote was almost equally close but reversed, 466,289 for Wilson and 462,516 for Hughes, the former receiving a plurality of 3,773. At this election women voted in the presidential campaign for the first time. In 1920 the popular vote for president was 624,992 for Harding and 229,191 for Cox. In 1916 Gov. Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate, taking his seat on March 4 following. Beginning Oct. 9 1911 attention was centred in the trial in Los Angeles of John J. and James B. McNamara, accused of dynamiting the Los Angeles Times building (Oct. 9 1910), resulting in the death of 21 persons. The crime was one of a nation-wide series intended to prevent the use of non-union materials and non-union labour. The defendants were strongly supported by the American Federation of Labor. Later the accused pleaded guilty, and James B. McNamara was sentenced to life imprisonment and John J. McNamara to imprisonment for 15 years.

In 1913 the anti-Japanese feeling throughout the state culminated in the passage of the Webb Alien Land-Holding Act. In 1909 measures had been proposed in the Legislature aimed at preventing the ownership of land by Japanese, but at the request of President Roosevelt these were dropped. Similar measures were introduced in 1913, and on April 13 a measure to that effect passed the Assembly, containing language displeasing to the Japanese Government. President Wilson at once communicated with Gov. Johnson, urging delay, and with the approval of the Legislature and of the governor, Secretary of State Bryan went to California to counsel moderation or delay in action. But another bill drawn up by Attorney-General Webb for the same purpose passed both Houses of the Legislature on May 3 1913 and was signed by the governor May 19, to be effective Aug. 17. The first tvo sections of the Webb bill were as follows: (1) &ldquo;All aliens eligible to citizenship under the laws of the United States may acquire, possess, enjoy, transfer, 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. (2) All aliens other than those mentioned in section 1 may acquire, possess, enjoy, and transfer real property, or any interest therein, 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 and country of which such alien is a citizen or subject, and not otherwise.&rdquo; While this bill prevented the Japanese from acquiring land in the state, its supporters held that no treaty rights were infringed, and that Japan could not justly take offence at the language used.

For several years San Francisco had been trying to secure part of the Hetch-Hetchy valley as a reservoir for furnishing water to the city. In 1913 a bill passed Congress, granting this. The question evoked much public discussion on both sides. Gifford Pinchot, the well-known conservationist, supported the project, while the naturalist, John Muir, strongly opposed it. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition, celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal, was held Feb.-Dec. 1915, at San Francisco. At the same time an exposition was held in San Diego, devoted chiefly to the display of California products. The state supplied to the army during the World War 112,514 men (excluding officers). The subscriptions to the four Liberty Loans in order were $100,190,900, $159,362,100, $174,506,200, $291,126,700; to the Victory Loan, $186,702,950.

Recent governors were James N. Gillett (Rep.), 1907-11; Hiram W. Johnson (Progressive Rep.), 1911-7; William D. Stephens (Rep.), 1917-.