Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-03-05
LAND REFORM.

Kansas City Times: 1t is a matter
of some surprise that the bill recently
introduced by Senator Plumb to pre-
vent the acquisition of real property by
aliens i'll the territories of the United
States has not called out more comment
from the western press. The text of
the bill isvery short, but very ar-reach-
ing in its effects. The first section sub
stantially makes it unlawful for fore
lgners who have not lawfully declared
their intentions of becoming citizens,
or for any foreign corporations, to hold
or own real estate in the United States
except such as may be acquired in good
faith in ordinary course of justice in the
collection of debt. 1t also forbids any
corporation more than ten per cent of
whose stock is held by persons not citi-
zens of the United States to hold or
own real estate. The third section for
bids any home corporation excepting
those organized for the construction or
operation of railways, canals or turn
pixies, to acquire or hold over five hun
dred acres of land, and further de-
mands that no railway, canal or turn
pike corporation shall hereafter acquire
more lands than may be necessary for
the proper construction or operation of
such roads or canals, and further re-
quires that all such corporations now
holding lands which shall not be neces-
sary for such railroad, canal or turn
pike purposes shall dispose of such
surplua lands within ten years on pen
atty that the lands become forfeited to
the United States.
This is branch of legislation never
before attempted by the United States.
1t appears to be an echo of the Irish
grievance of absentee landlordism.
That is probably not the real motive of
the bill. The bill is in its immediate
effects preference of Americans as
large land owners. 1t is to drive out
foreign capital as competitor for large
cattle ranges in Texas and New Mexico.
thereby allowing persons of the United |
States in their individual capacity to |
control and own such tracts and at a |
much lower price than would be posi- |
bic if English and German companies |
were allowed to purchase in the future |
as they have been in the past. The |
holdings of some Of these foreign cor |
porations are already colossal. The |
Holland land company in New Mexico |
has 4,500, 600 acres; English syndicate |
No. 8 in Texas, 100000; Sir Edward
Reid and syndicate in Florida, 2,00O,- |
600; English syndicate in Mississippi, |
], 800 900; marquis of Tweeddale, 1,75O,- |
coo; Phillips, Marshall & Co., London,
l 800, 900; German syndicate, LOO, 600; |
Anglo-American syndicate, London.
$50, 600; Scotch syndicate, Florida, 5OO,-
600. Other foreign companies and in
dividual owners, who own tracts of over
$1,000 each, make up a grand total of
20, AZ, 600 acres of land in the United
States owned by foreign landlords. |
This is an area about equal to the state |
of Indiana, and more than one-half as
large as England.
Compared with these holdings the
estates of the great landed dukes and
barons of England seem mere pigmies. |
The largest English estate is that of
the duke of Northumberland, contain
ing 1886 acres. The next in size, that
of the duke of Devonshire, containing
126, 99i acres. The third is that of Sir
w. W. VIM of 81 ,256 acres, and there |
are only eleven other estates exceeding
5000 acres. So, as compared with |
England, the curse of. English land
lordism. if it be curse, comes pretty |
close home. Whether the bill of SEN
ator Plumb is championed as mere
business scheme to checkmate foreign |
capital and leave the field free to the |
American capitalist to hold in his in
dividual capacity as much land as his /
money will buy, or whether it is the /
beginning of an agrarian movement /
IS founded on the economic principle
that small farms and holdings are let I
ter for society and the republic than
large estates, remains to b seen.