Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-15

! entailment had the effect of keeping and
| perpetuating intact large bodies of land
Landed monopoly was toe essential conse-
quence, and landlordism was the natural
child OF this monopoly. In Texas we have
laws in their nature and in their operation
precisely the reverse, and lust a.; the laws
are different we may expect different con.
sequences. While in Great Britain father
dying, possessed of 100000 acres of land
and leaving five children. under the law OF
primogeniture. the whole OF the landed es-
tate passed intact to the eldest son, in
Texas, under our laws Of inheritance. this
land would be subject to equal distribution
among the five children. And when there
was originally one estate there would now
be five estates, and At the death of each of
these children, these estates, whether in
creased or diminished, are again subject to
division and distribution, and SO it is con-
tinually.
Our law of debt has somewhat the same
effect There can be no estate tail here,
and at any time if a man have Judgment en-
tered against him his land in excess of l6O
acres may be sold at sheriff's sale. and thus
another division in ownership is Eal.
just as the laws of primogeniture and en-
tailment i'll Great Britain conSplred tn con-
ceutrate vast bodies of land in the hands of
the few, so do our laws of descent and in
heritance, which are practically the reverse
of the laws of primogeniture and entail
ment. produce constant. ceaseless division
and distribution of land. thereby preventing
the accumulation of vast bodies OF land in
the possession of 4 few people. With this
division ami distribution tirelessly and
sleeplessly going on, a condition of land
monopoly in Texas is clearly and unde-
uiably beyond the limits of probability
1t follows. therefore, that landlordiSm
being dependent upon prior state of land
monopoly. is not even 4 probable future
danger TO Texas.
We find, first, that the alien land law
operates to the Immediate and continuous
damage to Texas; second, that there is alb
solutely no present danger of alien land
lordism in Texas; third, that there is not
even reasonable possibility that alien
landlordism can ever become a danger to
Texas.
We therefore conclude that the law at
this period of our industrial progress is
unutterably unwise. II rests upon no es-
tabliShed principle of wise legislation; it
can only lean its idiot back on folly's top
most twig.''
This law is kind of legislative gattling
gun, belching forth destruction and devas-
tation in our own ranks. 1t is suggestive
of the Poets Horrible Monster, with a
thousand snaky heads, and with as many
tails, that twisted out in horrid revolu-
ton, tipped with stings." The question is
of weighty importance and it should be
closely studied by every voter in Texas. 1t
should be made direct issue in the next
election if not sooner modified. The peo-
pie should demand a proper modification at
the earliest possible moment, and should
the peoples servants refuse this just and
righteous demand, at the next political
judgment day they should be buried be-
meath an Immortality of indignation.
LONE Star.
Fort Worth Oct g. 1891 -