St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-21
the bill to prevent aliehs from acquiring
real estate in the territories of the United
States. The report SAYS:

The bill has for Its basis, the proposition
that American soil shall be owned by Amer
icans so far as congress can control it. The
committee on public lands in this congress
as in the last, is thoroughly committed to the
policy of so administering our public land
system that the agricultural lands OF the ma
ton shall be parted with, without cost, to be
held in small tracts by actual settlers only,
for the purposes OF cultivation by the owner,
securing thereby the thrift of the citizen
and economy in his management
which ownership always stimulates. This
policy should become the national one. The
experience of so many thousands of our peo-
pie in the securing Of homes in our vast era
of public lands, has been so successful that
the desire for ownership of a home capable
of producing support for the family is more
universal here than in any country in the
world. This was the prevalent idea when the
homestead law, one OF the most benefcent
acts ever adopted by congress, was passed.
1t was the duty of the government to furnish
to its people cheap homes, to
AID THE ACTUAL SETTLER,
whose labor would make the land fruitful and
productive, giving added wealth to the local
ity and stability and strength to the country.
1t had magnificent possession in the public
domain of that time, which, under
proper management, would have afforded
grand results for generations to come. Areas
Of land sufficiently large to make great states
were donated with reckless lberality to rail-
road and other corporations, and by lax,
easy administration of injudicious laws men
of wealth of companies have been illegally
permitted to acquire other great areas of the
public lands, and now this generation had
seen the vast territory we had at its Begin
ming SO reduced that less than 5,000,00 of
acres of areable agricultural land upon which
crops can be raised without irrigation remain
for the settlers under the general land laws
Of the United States, and about So 1000, 600 of
acres only of lands susceptible of improve
ment by irrigation. These lands are becom-
ing more aud more valuable year by year.
and tempted by the promise, sure to be real
lied OF immense profits, as well as the abso-
lutte security of the investment, these lands,
by devious methods, in many cases have been
secured in great areas and holdings by CAPT.
talistS and corporations, foreign as well as
domestic. In the hands Of many of these for
eign owners and holders these lands are made
subject to a system of landlordism and con-
ditions totally un-Amercan and kindred to
that existing in the Old World. Systems and
conditions which have
SPREAD RUIN AND MISERY
wherever they have existed In Europe. Be-
side thir art of the heritage of the American
people the common property of this nation,
its public lands, we are ut present permitting
the coming of immense private fortunes in
the hand of foreign nobility and gentry at the
expense OF our people, and giving these for
eigners the control OF the homes and happi-
who have come here to identify themselves
with US.
AS an Illustration of this. a published
statement showing that 30. TAI. 600 acres of
land are held by foreigners is appended.
Among the large holders mentioned are the
Marquis Of Tweedale, Sir Edward Reid,
the Holland company and several foreign
Syndicates, the possessions of each number
ing millions of acres:
There is no question:" the report says,
las to the power of congress over the sub
ject. England exercised it during all the
years OF her progress, and has only recently
granted the right to hold real estate there to
aliens. The Question of how cheap homes
for the poor can best be secured will soon be
upon us. At the present rate of disposition
this generation will see the last acre of pub
lie land, worth taking for home by a farmer,
disposed of
In conclusion the report gives the follow
ing summary of the work Of the committee
during the present session:
The committee has devoted it's best efforts
and most earnest endeavorS to perfect and
present to the house for its consideration and
action such measures as in its judgment
would
RECLAIM SUCH LANDS
as had been improvidently granted to corpo-
ratlons and to which they are not entitled,
also for the repeal of such laws as rendered
possible the improper acquisition of great
areas of land from the government, and to
preserve what it had and should reclaim of
the public lands as a reserve to be drawn
upon the actual settler without costs i'll
homesteads. We do this because we believe
that not only fostering of the home sentiment
and individual prosperity would result, but,
in addition, because we believe there is no
greater safeguard against public disorder,
tumults and riots than a generally distrib-
uted ownership of lands and homes. The bill
which the report accompanies provides that
no alien or foreigner who has not declared
his intention to become citizen Of the United
States, nor any corporation, one-tenth OF
whose stock is owned or controlled by aliens
or foreigners, shall have the right to acquire
real estate in any Of the territories of the
United States. The bill has been agreed upon
by the committee, and will probably be re-
ported one day this week.