Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-02-18

The governor sent the following to the
house this afternoon:
Executive OFFICE,
Territory of New Mexico,
Santa Fe, Feb. IS, 1889. J
To the ?Sth Legislative Assembly.
Gentlemen: | have the honor to re-
turn herewith, to the house in which
originated, without executive approval,
house Joint memorial No. 10, in relation
to the law of congress prohibiting alien
investments in real estates in the territo-
res, and praying congress 'to repeal or
so amend the said act as to permit, invite
and encourage the Investment OF foreign
capital in all classes Of property in the
territory Of New Mexico, and particularly
to invite and encourage such investment
in the development OF the mineral re-
sources OF the territory
That portion OF the act OF congress
passed March 3, 1887, OF which this
memorial prays the repeal or emendatlon,
is as follows: That it shall be unlawful
for any person or persons not citizens OF
the United States, or who have not law
fully declared their intention to become
such citizens, or for any corporation not
created by or under the laws of the United
States, or OF some state or territory OF the
United States, to hereafter acquire, hold
or own real estate 50 hereafter acquired,
or any interest therein, i'll any OF the ter
rtories OF the United States"
NV objections to alien land ownership
in this country were briefly set out in
my annual report to the secretary OF the
interior in October, 1886, prior to the pas
sage of this act by congress, in which |
said:
"Some portion, at least, OF the friction
that has occurred in this territory during
the past year has arisen out of the arbi-
trarv assertion of rights on the public
domain, which in no sense belonged to
them. by persons who possessed not even
the common rights of American citizen
ship. There can be no reasonable OBJ
lection to accord all common rights to
persons OF foreign nativity, but they
Should be required, before asserting or
asking those rights, to subject themselves
to the common obligations also of Ameri-
can citizens. The absorption and own
ership of the lands OF the country
by an alien element owing no
obligations OF allegiance to the gov
eminent can not but be an element Of
local turmoil and of public weakness and
danger. Ownership of the soil is an at
tribute and element OF sovereignty which
the government should not permit to pass
into the control OF any class not owing it
allegiance.
The importance OF maintaining the pres
ent law, and the danger in it's repeal, is
especially applicable to New Mexico. The
tendency of alien land ownership is to
the accumulation of great estates, main
tanned, as they must be, by a system OF
tenantry, at once promotive of aristocrat-
ical conditions, and antagonistic to and
subversive Of American industrial ecOno-
my, American society and American gov
eminent. Such system can not but
breed servility in the tenant, and in every
way work mischief, morally, industrially
and politically.
In the absence Of this congressional in
terdiction large part of the territorial
area of the west would in time be domi-
mated by the baneful influence ola system
Of tenantry and OF foreign ideas of the
social economics and OF politics.
1t is undcniable THAT the modification OF
the act of congress so as to admit OF foreign
investment in mining properties would
be very important present personal add
vantage, and also, to degree, public
bentit. But in time that present benefit
would as certainly be vastly overshadowed
by the public disadvantages which it
would bring in its train. 1t is not good
public policy to seek temporary easement
by opening the door to what would in
evitably result in public calamity.
EDMUND q. Ross.