Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-27
Bills Against Alien I.andlordism.

together with the threatening features
OF the labor question and the continu-
ance OF an enormous foreign immigra-
ton, have brought to the minds of
thoughtful men the danger of an enor-
nous increase of foreign landlordism.
The continuous and violent troubles in
Ireland within the recollection of all
this generation and the recent troubles
OF the Scotch crofters have forcibly i'm
pressed on the minds of sympathetic
Americans the evils of absentee land
fordism. But in the case of the Irish
and the Scotch crofters, their landlords,
though absentees, were not aliens, but
were under the jurisdiction Of the same
laws as the renters themselves. But
worse will be the effect of landlordism
in which the landlords are not only abb
sentees but residents beyond the ocean
and citizens of foreign and very pos
sibly unfriendly nation. Several ag-
grayated cases, as that of Scully, have
also called public attention to the evil
AS the law now stands in nearly
every state and all the territories, a
subject OF any foreign potentate on
earth can become absolute master of
all the American soil he can buy
Americans would shrink from giving
members of the British Parliament the
privilege of buying seats in Congress
or legislatures; but the owner of the
soil has far ampler power, as far as it
extends, than the Congressman or the
member of the legislature. In a note
to Blackstone Book |, s. p. 372, } a very
good presentation of the evils and dan
gers Of alien landlordship is presented:
A political reason may be given for this, which
think stronger than any here adduced. If
aliens were admitted to purchase and hold
lands in this country. 1t might at any time be
IN the power OF foreign state to raise power
full party amongst us; for power is ever the con-
comitant of property This may more easily be
illustrated by briefly stating the measures taken
by Russia prior TO the Acknowledgement of Poland
For considerable time previous to this act
ian act which has certainly cast an indelible
stain upon the powers concerned in it, the
czariBa sent several of her subjects with large
sums OF money into Poland, to purchase all the
estates that offered for sale; al the same time
processing publicly the greatest attachment to
the interests Of that devoted kingdom. This
had double effect; for it not only raised in that
country powerful party completely devoted to
her interest, but it at the same time, and in the
same ratio, deyestcd a large proportion of power
and influence from the mobiles. This proved
solid foundation for her subsequent acts; for
afterwards. when she laid aside the veil which
covered her designs, the country en-
feebed by the measures she had taken. that not
outstanding the glorious and persevering strug-
grta Af nfVfalr Fg1f
rapacity.
The laws and constitution of this
State have always allowed aliens to own
land But even in an early day, when
land was plentiful and cheap. its evils
were felt, as every old settler of Grant
County can remember. On Blake's
Prairie and around its borders an Eng
lish "lord' Murray large
tracts of land, particularly the patches
of timber adjoining the prairie. Be-
sides being great obstacle to the i'm
provement and settlement of the coun-
try, it was hardship to the actual
settlers, who could acquire no timber
land and could obtain fuel only by
Stealing it from the land monopol-
lied by this foreign "lord.' The moral
effect of this on the community was y
great evil. But, fortunately for Blake S
Prairie and its borders, Lord" Muir
ray died and left some remarkably
spendthrift sons, and his Grant County
lands were put upon the market to sup
ply money for the debaucheries of these
sprigs of foreign mobility" But
the constitution of Wisconsin leaves
the field wide open for all of the Muir
ray sort TO use the money wrung from
tenants of their lands in the British Is
lands-lands descended to them from
Norman robbers and murderers or
from the panders of such monarchs as
Charles linen and women guilty of
baser and fouler crimes than murder
and robbery-to use tins money to be-
troduce here the system which has pro-
duced SO much misery, famine, turbul-
ence and crime in Ireland and the High
lands and islands of Scotland.
Iowa al one of all the states has met
the threatened danger promptly and
fully in law by which no man can be-
come lord of American soil without re-
uouhcng fully and forever all allegi-
ance to any foreign potentate and swear
ing to support the constitution of the
state and that of the United States.
AS noted in the semi-weekly HERALD
Monday, the House Public Lands Com
mittee has decided to report favorably
Judge Payson's bill to deprive aliens OF
the right to acquire and hold real estate
in the District of Columbia or any of
the United States. The measure is a:
follows:
Be IL eaactca, That no non resident alien o.
foreigner. nor any resident alien or foreigner
who has not declared his intention to become ,
citizen ofthe United States. nor any incorpora
tion or association where. at most, one tenth o
its stock or right of property is owned or con
troed by aliens foreigners, shall acquire o
own, hold or possess, by right, title, or descent
accrung hereafter. any real estate in any Of tn,
territories OF the United states; provided, tina
the provisions Of this act shall not apply TO tn
real estate necessary for the construction ant
operation 81 aDy railroad.
The provision in regard to the declar.
alton of 'ntention to become citizen
of the United States" Is too loose anC
not guarded rs it should be agans
possible and probable abuse. The mer,
declaration of intent to become a either
releases an alien from the operation o
the act and puts him on the same foot
ing rs a native or naturalized citizen
Now the simple statement OF inten
does not dissolve the allegiance owing
To a foreign Power, and there is moth
ing in this bill which requires the allie
to carry out his alleged purposes an,
actually become citizen OF the Unite,
States, or to live in this country afte
making the declaration. There is n
penalty for making false statement G
intent, and the alien may change hi
mind whenever he sees fit; but the mer
naked declaration in and of itself pre-
cures him the right to hold real estat
i'm this country to an unlimited extent