The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-10
To SHUT OUT THELORDS
Titled PrincelinRs From Foreign
Countries are not to be Permit
ted to Gobble up the Public
Domain as In England.

WASHINGTON, June 9.-Representative
Oates, from the committee on judiciary,
to-day reported to the house bill TO pro-
hibit aliens from acquiring title to,or OWL
ing land within the United States. An
elaborate report accompanied the bill.
"It," the committee says, "is i'm the power
of the government TO totally exclude aliens
from coming within its jurisdiction, as
has been done i'm the case OF the Chinese
no one questions this. This sovereign
power certainly includes the lesser one of
defining what property rights they may
exercise, after they are admitted, and
during the continuance Of their alien con-
dition. Your committee ascertained, with
reasonable certainty, that certain noble
men of Europe, principally Englishmcn,
have acquired and now own in the aggre-
gate about twenty-one millions OF acres
Of land within the United States. We
have not sufficient Information to state
the quantity owned by untitled aliens ;nor
is II SO important, as II is generally held
i'm smaller bodies.
This alien resident ownership will, in
the course of time, lead to q system of
landlordism, Incompatible with the best
interests and free institutions of the
system is being laid broadly In the West
ern states and territories. The avarice
and enterprise of European capitalists
have caused them TO invest many millions
in American railroad and land bonds,
covering perhaps 10O,0O.00O acres, the
sales, will, most likely, before many
years, become the property of these for
to their present princely possessions.
This aggressive foreign policy is not
confined to the lands ii has purchased
but is Overlapping its boundaries and has
caused hundreds of miles OF public
domain to be fenced up for the grazing OF
vast herds of cattle, and set at defiance
the rights of the honest but humble set.
tier. This bill Is proposed In order to
place these aliens under the disabilities OF
the civil law as to all future attempts "a
acquire lands in this country.
"In other words, the bill is a declaration
against absentee landlordism. II declares
all foreign born persons who have no,
been naturalized incapable of taking title
to lands any where within the United
States except 40 leaseholdersf for term not
exceeding five years. II has no retroac'
tive, but prospective operation, II also
contains a provision which will compel
alien land owners to cease to be such oi
/ to kecome citizens OF the United States
within 10 years.
"The bill would prevent any more
abuse like that perpetrated by Mr.
Scully, who resides i'm England and is @
subject of the Queen, but OWNS I'm this
country $1,000 acres, occupied by tenants,
mostly ignorant foreigners from whom
he receives as rent 100000 yearly ant
| expends il in Europe"
"The Scheuley estate of about 200
acres, within the city limits of Pittsbur,
and Allegheny, from the rents of whicl
the Scheuley's, who are subjects of TIN
British queen, draw annually not les
than $4,000, is another instance of aliel
landlordism i'm America. The tenth cen
sus shows that the United States had $40,
700 tenant farmers, the largest numbe
possessed by any nation in the world.
"In conclusion" the report says: "Witl
the natural increase in the people an,
foreigners who flock 20 our shores an
nually, and, by competition, are reducing
the wages of labor, and making a battl
for our people is the problem for Amer
can statesmen to solve. The multiplied
tion of the owners of the soil is n CORE
spending enlargement of the number O
patriots. and every land owner in thi
country should owe allegiance to tn
United States"