Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-06-20
IT SHOULD STOP.
THE ALIEN OWNERSHIP OF LAND
IN AMERICA.
Can't Build War Ships at Our Bay
City.
1T WOULD VIOLATE GREAT
TREATY RIGHTS.
The Pension Bill and Its Provisions.
WAsHINGToS, June II

WASHINGTON, June II.
Representative Oates of Alabama, from
the committee on the Judiciary, today re.
ported TO the house the bill TO prohibit
aliens from acquiring title TO or owning
lands within the United States. An elab.
orate report accompanied the bill. In it
the committee say that tho power of the
government TO totally exclude aliens from
coming within its jurisdiction, as has been
done in the case OF the Chinese, no one
questions. This sovereign power certainly
includes the lesser one of defining what
property rights they may exercise, after
they are admitted, and during the continu-
anCo OF their alien condition.
"HOur committee ascertained," says the
report, "with reasonable certainty that
certain noblemen of Europe, principally
Englishmen, have acquired, and now own,
in the aggregate, about 2l,000000 acres OF
land within the United States. We have
not sufficient information 70 state the guam
tity owned By untitled aliens; nor is it so
important, as II Is generally held In smaller
bodies. This alien non resident ownership
will, in the course OF time, lead
to a system OF landlordism incompatible
with the best interests and free institutions
of the United States. The foundation of
such a system is being laid broadly in the
western states and territories. The avar-
ice and enterprise of Europe n capitalists
have caused them 10 invest many millions
in American railroad and land bonds, COW
part of which under foreclosure sales will
most likely, before many years, become the
property Of these foreign bondholders, in
addition to their present prlncely posses
sions.
1.-The aggressive foreign capital is not
confined 10 the lands it has purchased, but
overlapping its boundaries it has caused
hundreds OF miles Of the 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 settler"
The bill proposes te place these aliens
| under the disabilities of the civil law as TO
future attempts to acquire lands in this
country. "ln other words the report
says, THE bill Is a declaration against alb
sent landlordism. 1T declares all foreign
born persons who have not been natural
lied incapable of taking the title to lands
any where within the United States, except
lease hold for not exceeding five years,
and II has no retroactive, but "a prospective
| operation. 1t also contains II provision
which will compel alicn landowners to
cease TO be such or to become citizens of the
| United States within 10 ye RS. The bill
would prevent any more abuses like that of
| "a Mr.. Scully, who resides in England, and
| is II subject of the queen, but owns $1,000
| acres in Illinois, occupied by tenants,
| mostly ignorant foreigners, from whom he
receives as rent S20J,00O yearly and ex-
/ ponds il in Europe. The Scheuly estate of
| about 1000 acres, within the city limits of
of Pittsburg and Allegheny, from the rents
| OF which the Scheuleys, who are subjects OF
| the British queen, draw annually not less
than 500, 900, is another instance of alien
! landlordsm in America. The tenth census
| shows that the United States has $40, 900
| tenant farmers, the largest number pos
| sessed by any nation in the world
| In conclusion the report says "With the
| natural incre Sc in people aud the $4,000
| foreigners who flock 10 our shores annually
| and by competition are reducing the wages
| of labor, making the battle of life harder
| TO win; how, few years hence, TO provide
| homes for our poor people is problem for
| our American statesmen TO solve. The
multiplication of the owners of the soil is
| corresponding enlargement of the nUmbe
| of patriots, and every land owner in this
| country should owe allegiance TO the United
States"
The navy department was very much
| pleased TO receive Mr.. Wheelcr's bid from
| bay City, for the new naval practice YES
| sci, as it shows that shipbuildng can be
| carried on as successfully on the lakes as
on the sea coast and, in case OF war, this
| would be of the greatest advantage. There
| is some doubt in the minds of naval OFF,
Gals whether the department Gin legally
| give the contract TO Mr.. Whee.er, and the
| matter will be carefully investigated before
| any award is made. BY the treaty of 1917,
concluded between the United States and
| Great Britain, 1t was agreed that neither
| country should maintain on Lake Ontario,
more than one armed vessel, on the upper
lakes two, and on Lake Chumplain one,
and that no other vessels of war shall be
there built or armed. The only point at
| issue is whether practice vessel can be
| considered vessel of war. II so it
would be a contravention OF treaty rights
10 allow her TO be built at Bay City, and
the fact that she would be borne on the
| naval register would in some way entitle
! her to be considered AS a vessel OF war.
The law officers of the navy department
| are now looking into the matter. AS
Wheeler is tho lowest bidder, it is very
| likely that the matter will be REFERRED to
| the state department to be settled through
| regular diplomatic channels. The decision
Is awaited with great deal of interest
The adoption by the house of the confer
ence report on the pension bill may be re
garded as fixing pension legislation for the
present The bill will distribute from s3j,
O0O, 900 to $40 900 600 among soldiers who
are debarred under the present law from
getting pensions. The new law says that
every soldier who served 80 days or more,
who cannot bee use of disability now pro
vide for his own support, shall receive 81
TO sl2 per month, prOportioned by inability
| to earn a support; that u soldiers widow
shall receive $S per month whether her
husband contracted disease in the army or
not. Each child under 10 shall receive 81
per month. Dependent parents also receive
pensions. Rank IN the service shall not be
considered in applications filed under this
| act Ten dollurs is fixed as limit OF the fee
TO be charged by agents In preparing cases.
| The bill is not as good for the soldiers as
| a service pension would have been, but at
present the incre Sc of the pension pay.
ments from $50 100000 to probable
| 400J0,00O annually WAS all that the treas
ury can stand.