The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-22
AN ACT AGAINST ALIENS.
A Report aud n Bill with True United
States Talk in Them.
ON THE GROWTH OF LANDloRDlsM
Properly Setting Forth the Eacr each.
ments of European NOblemen
UPON OUR SETTLERS RIGHTS.
Oklahoma's Boomers Have the "Riot
Act' Read to Them from the War
Department = Coke ON In
ter State Commerce.
GENERAL WASHINGTON REPORTS
The Alien Land Owner,

WASHINGTON, Jan. Representa-
tive Oates, of the committee ON public
lands, has prepared q report on the bill
to prohibit Aliens and foreigners from
acquiring or owning lands within the
United States, which the committee has
reported to the house with the recon-
mendation that it pass. Mr.. Oates say g !;
"GOur committee has ascertainod with
a reasonable certainty that certain
noblemen of Europe, principally
Englismen, have acquired and now own
in the aggregate about 2l,000,000 acres
within the United States. We have not
sufficient information TO state the
quantity entitled alien, nor
would it be so important
it it was generally held in smaller
bodies. This alien nonresident owner
ship will, in the course of time, lead to a
system Of landlordism, incompatible
with the best interests and free institu-
tions of the United States. The founda-
tion for such system is being laid
broadly i'll th9 western states and terri
tories. A considerable numbe of emf
grants are annually arriving in
this country who are to become
tenants and herosmon on the
lords, under contracts made and ent. r. d
into before they sail foe our laub. THUS
tire avarice ana en- erprise of European
capitalists have caused them to invest
many muliOns in American railroads
aud land bonds, covering perhaps lOO,-
OOO,uUO acres, the greater part OF which,
under the foreclosure clause, will mOst
likely, before many years, become
the property Of these foreign
bondhold rs, in addition tC
their present prineely possessions,
1t is thus manifest that If the present
large alien ownership is an evil of
which wa have no doubt, the probability
in that the near futu,s viii still more
imperatively demand legislation for Its
| prevention.
This aggressive fOiTis.n capital is no
confined 10 land which 1t haspurchased
! but, overlapping its boundaries, has
caused hundreds OF miles of public do
main TO be penned up i,r grazing vas
| no, DIS of cattlr, and IN dehanre of tn,
rights of honest but humbia settlers.
| The policy OF the government hereto
| fore toward aliens has been character
| lied by great liberality, and tho differ
ent states, each acting for itsel', have
! gone still 1urth r upon the idea Of Tho
! deSirability OF rapld Increase in popu
lation ana wealth, aud by Legislation
4 nave conferred upon aliens rigl Is fal
| beyond those they engaged by treaty
stipulatiOns, the common law, or tn,
law of nations. The bill herewith re
| ported proposes as n part OF the pOlicy
I of this country to operate only pros
I fpec,ively, and therefore not harsniv, {,
prevent ab -olutely the citizens or sub
leG,ts OF other nations, 30 long as they
adhere To and retain their allegiance Il
other powers, from acquiring owner
ship of American soil within the iuris
| diolion of the United States. We main
tain that American soil should b,
owned exclusively by American ciii
zeus. Perhaps objection may bo mad,
TO the bill on tine ground that It's ten
dency will be To drive foreign capita
from this country. If IL were W,
are not quite sure permauen
harm would result therefr0m to any
one on this continent. The mortgage
and land bonds held by aliens woul,
not be materially impaired by the Law
proposed. They are deois OF trust anC
can he fOreclosed and the lands sold IL
default # payment by the alien holder
az we'll as by Il citizen. Neither can he
according 70 law, buy at his own sale
because OF a coullicL of interest will
| duty, unless II is 80 stipulated i'm Tn,
contract, and this being known
can have no other eilec
upon future foreign investors in thi
| class ofsecuritles, than to make them
| little more careful and not to rely upoi
the prospect Oi ultimate ownership O
the land mortgaged.