The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
Alien Land-Holding.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
I find that an effort is now being made to re-
peal the law of 1881, which is as follows:
Section 1. Be it enacted etc.. that natural persons
who are aliens, whether they reside in the United
States or any foreign country, may acquire, hold
and enjoy real estate and may convey devise mort
gage, or otherwise cucumber the In like manner
and with the same effect as citizens of this State.
Section repeats all laws in conflict Section
3, emergency, ETC.. and Governor Gray has al
luded to this law in his inaugural, as follows:
would, however, invite your attention to the act
Of Legislature of 1881 giving aliens the right to
acquire hold and convey real estate This is such an
innovation upon the spirit of our institutions that the
same is open to criticism and, in my Judgment de-
mands your consideration to its necessity, and if
deemed necessary, whether the is properly
guarded in its provisions to prevent vast landed
nopolies by aliens, which, by slow and insidious
growth may become detrimental to the interests of
the State
If the Legislature is determined to prevent
an alien, though he may at the time of purchase
have his home in foreign country, from buy
ing our farms our lands, our lots, our property
in our villages, towns, or cities want them to
prohibit any alien from buying any shares in our
railroads, our coal Mines insurance, or in any
manufacturing company, or in any enterprise
whatever. Let rs have no special class legisla-
ton. We don't want one class left free to invite
and accept the money Of the world and the
other met by unfriendly and prohibitory legis-
lation
The law of 1881 is right, is abreast of the
spirit and genius of the nineteenth century;
everything points to more extended freedom
in The right to buy and sell, and certainly we
should hesitate before going back to the old
ideas of restrictions and technicalities, that
formerly encountered the transfer of real estate
from one to another.
If an alien buys in Indiana, from that time on
he would have an interest in the State his prop
erty would be subject to her laws would be La
BILE to taxation, and in the common course of
events he and his children would most likely be-
come citizens of the State in which ne mad chosen
as a field for his investments.
Repeal this law, and see the practical result:
l. e., Here in Parke county, we live very near
the great cosmopolitan city of Chicago, and from
that city have come men, aliens at the time, that
to-day are citizens, and rank with the most pro
gressive, enterprising business men we have,
some ON farms and some in our towns and vii
lagos.
A stranger comes to our place. he looks over
the town and it's surroundings, he likes the
looks of things, proposes to buy property here
and is about closing up his purchase,
when he discovers that he cannot
buy In Indiana, ana, II he should
he cannot convey or devise it, his deed would be
worthless. Perhaps at this time, he lives, when
at home, in foreign country, and is here look
ing up home. When he discovers how the law
is he concludes to go to State that has not
gone back to the feudal ages by building wall
around her, shutting out capital and men that
would come here to help build up our town, i'm
prove our lands and assist in developing the
great resources of the State. And so with our
FARMS one may have a farm to sell, and the pur-
chaser is found, but he cannot buy here, we
drive him off, and he goes where more liberal
| laws govern and where there is no Chinese wall
| to keep him out And again, repeal this law. In
| few years what tangle and doubt would be
| twisted round numberless deeds in Indiana; peo-
pie would shun and avoid the State, and go some
! where else, for fear that they could not get a
clear title to their purchases.
"Vast landed monopolies by aliens" is impossi
| BILE; we have no laws of primo geniture or en-
| tail; every estate would at death be divided ac
| cording to the laws of Indiana; our own State
| laws would control it.
| If the Legislature fears the power and infu
| ence of aliens, let them adopt an amendment to
the Constitution as follows: None but citizens oil
| the United States shall vote in this State Such
| an amendment would conform to the Constitu
| ton of the United States, and would be
nothing but justice to those persons born in thi;
| country and those of foreign birth who have
not only declared their intentions to become citi
| zens but have conformed to all the laws of the
| United States on the subject of naturalization
and are in fact and in law, citizens These are thu
persons to whom the right of suffrage should b.
| given.
Indiscriminate suffrage ia the foul fend o.
| our political life
| AS it is to-day thousands of our voters ar,
/ aliens, six months men. The hoy born here il
| at disadvantages; he must wait twenty-Ont
J years before he has the privilege of voting In