Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-17
THE ALIEN LAND LAW.
SOME INTERESTING POINTS IN
THE MATTER.
The Condition of Affairs in America and
Observation-Disclosures Cannot Obtain in
Tc1as-Some Interesting Reading.
EDITOR Of the Gazette.

At times one feels an Irresistible impulse
to move, TO act, to do. The writer of this
review is moved by an inward force. which.
| i'll vain he has endeayored 10 resist, urging
| him to depart from his usual rule of silence
and to submit to the Intelligence of your
readers some thoughts suggested by peru
sal of Mr.. Phillips views, as published in
YOUR issue of the 18th, on the alien land law.
The writer is not i politician. nor is he in
any sense public = an, but 10 limited de-
gree has been Il student of men OF the times
in which he lives, of the true relations of
thi gs. of the underlying principles affect
ing our state and national prosperity.
Having read Nh. Phillips views | found
myself asking the question, What does
this legislator mean to express Us his view S
on this alien land law!n And the question
not being satisfactorily answered, re-read
it and study it closely.
The gentleman is seeing through a glass
darkly.
/. He confounds the probable future stu
alton in Texas with the situation in cOun-
tries where the land titles originated under
the feudal system.
>. He gives some very practical and
cogent reasons against monopoly i'll general
and against landed monopoly III particular.
The writer cannot find herein nor in any
part of the honorable gentleman's views"
any reason for an advocacy of the alien
land law.
In analysis of the first assumption above:
The horrible condition of the Irish peas
antry. of which Mr.. Phillips attempts such
pathetic use, is not due to any system of
money lending taS is the situation here in
the main). nor land legislation, but to the
original system of land titles. the feudal
system Originally intended TO give military
strength to the reigning monarch. under
which all titles We're derived from the king
or lord and it was not an absolute title; 1t
was tenure conditioned upon the perform
ance of military service. or a Socage ten
ure, where the services We're more certain
and of 4 predial character. The king Tor
cOnquerer or Chieftain in earlier tines
would grant large bodies of land TO favor
lite supporter who thus became his vassaj,
requiring services of him as above de-
scribed. This vaSsal in turn would grant
parts of the land thus obtained TO sub
vasSal, requiring services of him. and this
sub-vassal could make grant to serf I'M
der him. etc. The vaSsaiS even took au
oath to be faithful in the performance of
the services thus required of them. This
system of land slavery probably originated
with the northern Gothic conquererS of the
Romans, though its formal establishment,
with all OF its services and consequences,
occurred during the reign of William the
COrquerer. If the vaSsal failed to perform
the required service. whether military or
predial, the lord had u right to evict the
tenant.
This, we say. was the origin of land titles
in Great Britain, and it is to the spirit Of
this old feudal system we must charge the
evils of landlordism in ireland to-day.
In Texas the origin of title is not feudal
in its nature. but allodial
Titles come direct from the state, and are
not incumbered by any kind of service
whatever. The title is absolute, without
limitation or restriction, a title in fee sim.
pie
The question now is. can the borrowing
of money of aliens bring about in Texas
state of Irish landlordiSm.
We apprehend not. Ill.
This Is the clean. clear-cut Questionyfor
the practical man and the man who works
to look at through his own eyes, and not
through the eyes of the politician or the
demagogue.
Every lien taken on Texas realty must
be forclosed in Texas courts and the prop
erty sold under Texas law before the for
eigu foe" "a Ia Phillips) has even chance
TO acquire title. And when the property is
offered for sale every man in Texas and
America has the right to bid for it. and the
holder of the lien has no advantage over
anybody else.
1t may be objected that state of land
lordism may obtain through the purchase
of large bodies of land at private sale
True. But this state of affairs may also
obtain with the alien land law in operation
The real, tangible danger against which
Mr.. Phillips apparently seeks to show the
necessity of providing, is landed monopoly.
not alien land owners, or alien landlordisU.