Snoqualmie Valley History: The Motomatsu Family’s Battle Against Washington State’s Alien Land Bill

~Guest Post by Noah Heutchy, BS in Social History, Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum Volunteer

Gonzo “George” Motomatsu immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. At first, he found work in Niqually at a sawmill. However, like many other Japanese immigrants, he most likely dreamed of his own land to farm. By 1920, he moved to the Snoqualmie Valley.

He and a business partner, Usaburo Nakashima, were working on their own account as dairy farmers in Cherry Valley near Duvall, presumably on leased land. Why did they lease land rather than purchase their own? Because at the time Japanese immigrants were not allowed to be landowners.

When Washington’s state constitution was ratified in 1889, Article Two, Section 33 read: “The Ownership of lands by aliens, other than those who in good faith have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, is prohibited in this state…” This statement seems innocent at first. After all, why should anyone who didn’t intend to become a citizen be allowed to own land? However, this neutral language veiled the law’s racist intentions.

At the federal level, those who were of Asian descent were prohibited from naturalizing. The United States Congress set up the requirements for naturalization, including the rule that one must be a free white person. After the Civil War, Congress amended the naturalization laws, offering a path to citizenship to “aliens being free white persons, and to aliens of African nativity and to persons of African descent.” In other words, those of Asian descent remained ineligible for citizenship. As a result, they could not declare an intention to become a citizen and therefore could not own land.

These laws were originally aimed at Chinese immigrants. Chinese men began immigrating to the United States in the mid-1800s hoping to obtain jobs so that they could send money back to their families. Many of these immigrants intended to return to China at some point. Racist laws such as The Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 curbed immigration. As the Chinese labor force dwindled over time, employers started looking to fill the need for labor, leading to an increase in immigration from Japan.

In contrast to Chinese immigrants, Japanese immigrants were more interested in settling permanently in the United States. Men often immigrated first and later brought over their families, settling in one area where their children could attend school. Those who wanted to farm, barred from owning land, had to lease land on which to grow and sell their own crops.

The long-term plan was to buy land in the names of their American-born children in the future. The success of the Japanese farmer triggered jealousy, which increased racism amongst white Americans. George Motomatsu and his family were one of many who bore the brunt of the race-based legislation that followed.

In May of 1920, George’s wife, Ishi, immigrated and joined her husband in Cherry Valley. Like most immigrants, the couple was likely looking to put down roots and start a family in an area that offered a promising future. While they could not own land, as long as they could find a citizen willing to lease them land, they could work on their own as farmers. On January 6, 1921, George and Ishi signed a lease for 240 acres of land near Duvall from John and Emma Joyce.

The lease would last 12 years, the maximum allowed by law. The timing was not a coincidence. Two days later, Washington State House Bill 79, also known as the Alien Land Bill, went into effect. This bill further expanded the state’s Alien Land Laws to prohibit those who were not intending to become citizens from leasing or renting agricultural land.

It quickly became apparent to supporters of the Alien Land Bill that there were loopholes in its implementation. A campaign began to close these loopholes. Proponents of the new laws took to the courts to remove as much land as possible from Japanese control. The Motomatsu family became a target of their campaign.

In February of 1924, escheatment proceedings were filed against George and Ishi Motomatsu by prosecutor, Malcolm Douglas, and his chief deputy, Ewing D. Colvin. Douglas argued that leases made after the passage of the law but before its implementation were retroactively forfeit. If the Motomatsu family lost their case in court, the state would take over the lease and the land.

On June 14, 1924, Judge Everett Smith of the Superior Court ruled in favor of the state. Douglas and Colvin immediately proclaimed that they would begin criminal proceedings against landowners who had leases with tenants who had not declared their intent to naturalize. Colvin went on to state that “an exodus of white farmers from the cities and from the farms of the less favored regions is expected to fill the places taken by Jap farmers” (Nelson 1924, 8). The intent of kicking Japanese farmers off their land so that white farmers could come in and take over was crystal clear.

George Motomatsu filed an objection, arguing that the land was for residential purposes and was exempt from the law. Judge Smith refused grant judgement, but did not order the land confiscated while awaiting further hearings.

George and Ishi Motomatsu’s legal battle continued over the following years. In 1926, the case, State v. Motomatsu, went before the Washington State Supreme Court who decided:

…it becomes clear that the legislative will of the sovereign state did not become fully evidenced in favor of the passage of chapter 50, Laws of 1921, until the expiration of 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session at which that act was passed; that is, until June 8, 1921… We are of the opinion that respondents having acquired their leasehold interest at a time when it was lawful for them to do so, their rights under their lease are not impaired by the enactment of Chapter 50, Laws of 1921.

Simply put, the court decided in Motomatsu’s favor; the Alien Land Bill was not retroactive. George and Ishi would get to keep their land through the end of their lease.

This ruling benefited more than just the Motomatsu family. This legal battle over 240 acres right here in the Snoqualmie Valley resulted Japanese immigrants across the state of Washington being allowed to keep their land for the remainder of their lease. Yet, it would be another forty years before Washington State Law removed all racist barriers to land ownership and leases.

Sources:

• “Alien Land Demurrers Upheld; Trial is Needed.” Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA), 7 Sep 1924.
• “Alien Land Law May Be Retroactive.” Seattle Union Record (Seattle, WA.), 15 Feb 1924.
• “Alien’s Land Title Upheld by Court.” Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA), 17 Jul 1926.
• Grant, Nicole. “White Supremacy and the Alien Land Laws of Washington State.” 2008. https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/alien_land_laws.htm
• King County, Washington. Notice of Lis Pendens: State of Washington v. George Motomatsu et. Ux., 15 Feb 1924. Deed Book Vol. 34 Book J, 129-130. King County Archives, Renton, Washington.
• King County, Washington. Lease John Joyce et. ux. to G Motomatsu et. Ux., 6 Jun 1921. Deed Book Vol. 42 Book L, 601-605. King County Archives, Renton, Washington.
• “Land Owners Warned – Antialien Leasing Law to be Enforced.” Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA), 17 Jun 1924.
• Nelson, John W. “Start a War Against Evasion of Anti-Alien Land Law!” The Seattle Star (Seattle, WA), 4 Mar 1924.
• State v. Motomatsu, 139 Wash 639, 247 P. 1032 (Wash. 1926).

[Featured image: Kroll Map with the Motomatsu family’s leased land outlined in orange. Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum Collection 030.148]