The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-14
ALIEN INVESTORS.
Agitation Against the Purchase Of
American Lands by British
Moneyed Men.
What is Bringing SO Many English
Capitalists to See Us--The Pail
IN 81 Mail Gaxette's Views.

LONDON, Aug. lo-EngllSn idnu oWneFs
ne excited over the proposed agitation in the |
United States against British investments in |
American lands The newspapers contain |
ong discussions of the subject. The excite |
nent was started by dispatches from New |
Z York giving the history of the recent secret |
Meeting of the American National league at
Coney island. These kilograms stated that |
he league has appointed secret committees
composed OF first-class title lawyers TO as,
certain exactly how many titles to land
II the United States are held by per
ions who remain foreign subjects and re-
BORT their names and possessions to the
eague The organization is to issue millions
)f copies of pamphlets containing all the
facts, to distribute these carefully, and to so
arrange the agitation of allowing aliens to
become real estate owners in any of the United
States as to make the question a party
one in the next presidential campaign. 1t Ia
thought here that Mr. Parnell, A. NJ Sulli
van, and Henry George are the direct in
spirators of the movement, and it is feared
hat the agitation may become very serious
and troublesome. The ground which will
be taken by the agitators, it is under
stood, will be that English influence
is too great in American affairs; that this in
fluence shows natural tendency to Angd-
Cize the land laws and landlordism in the
American union; that the influence ought to
be checked; that if British aliens are allowed
to acquire American real estate there will he
a steady growth of English influence in
American legislation, which may ultimately
prove incOnvenient, il not dangerous, i'll the
foreign relations Of the United States 1t
will also be pointed out that in proportion as
the opportunities for investment are greater
in the United States than they have been in
Ireland will the evils of non resident land
Ordism be more onerous and exasperating to
the citizens of the American republic than
they have ever been to the people Of Ireland
The questionable policy Of allowing the
tottering aristocracy OF foreign nation
to reinvigorate itself at American expense,
and of permitting the landlords to bolster
up and perpetuate the casts of Great Britain
by allowing them to drain to London the
profits of valuable holdings in Americr, Will
be dwet upon and appealed from, 1t Is per
haps impossible for Americans to realize the
vast amount Of general poverty which at
present prevails among large proportion Of
the proprietors of the smaller English estates.
The incomes of the large holders have been
| shrinking SO rapidly and steadily that FOR
| many years past the world has been hunted
| over for relief.
| For some time past the territory Of the
| United States has been recognized as the
promised land, and when the facts are made
| known, as the National league threaten 10
make them known, the American people
will be absolutely amazed at the amount
of money which has been invested IN land IN
the United States by English landlords, who
have no idea of identifying themselves with
| the American union any further than Is all
solutely necessary to enable them to retrieve
their waning fortunes from the productions
or rents of the American investment. The
Englishman who puts his money in land is a
cautious individual, and there are at least.a
dozen first-class lawyers in London who are
perfectly cognizant of how the land laws OF
the different American states vary, and able
to advise as to which do and which do not al.
Iow aliens to acquire titles to bands.
The purpose of the American leag ue is to
create q public feeling in the United State
which will d9mand and secure uniform laws
prohibiting aliens from owning real estate
anywhere in the union, and English land
lords are So fearful of the success Of tht
movement that already many have
withdrawn from the proposed investments
1t NAV be set down as certain that he pres
ent extraordinary exodus OF English arlsto
Gratis to the United States is due to M
wish to either see the people OF the United
States or to examine into the workings Of
American institutions, but it is mainly if no
entirely rush of the vanguard Of the grea
army who are painting for locations 10
| transfers of estates
A list of British holders of American land
has been published in London as an outcom
Of the present discussion. This publication
has produced a genuine sensation. One o
the principal lists is headed "A list o
bloated English American land owners.
The Pail Mall Gazette treats the matter SER
ouslv, and warns the English people that ther
is much in the threatened agitation to arous
fear and nothing at all to warrant air
ridicule or light treatment. The Gazett
points out to Englishmen that the American
are an intensely practical people, and Wi
look upon this whole question in n bushes
way and act on it with good, sound nationa
sense. If the people of the United State
shall conclude that whatever land in TIL
United States is taken up by aliens is tina
much national territory withdrawn from til
total amount possessed by the country fC
the development of American wealth, the
will put stop to it IN their own way, an
for their own reasons, and, the Pail Ma
Gazette says will he doing nothing tia
England or any thelsensihle natison, prope
ly conserving its welfare, would not do.
The Gazstte, continuing, says that it wou
he foolish to expect the Americans would "
low any large body oil foreigners to becon
owners Of American land and remain at Il
same tim e subjects of foreign powers