Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-03

our land, any Northern or Eastern person.
firm, company or corporation living III "G
belonging to and is citizen of the Unto"
States can own and control all the land tGcy
desire in Texas. vt least this law does not
forbit il.
Again Art. 1Oa provides that if the alish
has even declared his intention Of hocou.r =
d citizen Of the United States, not OF / *.
he may acquire and hold lands in Te$.S if
he only carries out his intention within ~
years from the time it was declared.
Art. lob provides that all aliens may ac-
quire lands by device or descent for six
years unless he be minor or OF unSound
mihd, inheriting lands in Texas, and they
have six years after age or appointment Of
guardian TO dispose of same.
Art Toe. Any alien may take, hold. as
sign, foreClCSe or sell, or buy, under mort
gage or deed OF trust, any lands i'll Texas in
which he now has any interest. hereto
fore acquired in any way, but must ALLEVIATE
(difpOSe of it within SIX years.
Article l6d provides that i any alien
shall undertake 10 hold lands Tor Il longer
time. or IN any way contrary 10 this chap
ter (law}. etc. the same shall eSCheat TO
and vest in the state, etc, rs provided by
our present CScheat law. which gives per-
sons right 10 appear IN court after due
summons or notice and contest the right Of
the state TO reclaim the land.
1t does seem 10 me. from disintereSted,
unbiased view, that this law Is
good enough, that il ! Just aud
reasonable only prohibits foreigners,
who are supposed TO be alien enemies. not
TO Texas, but TO the United States OF Amer
lea by the principles Of all international
law and the law Of nations from continually
holding and owning our free soil-aud not
only so but gives them SIX years
which IS certainly sufficient time
TO dispose OF them. They can SCI.
their lands and take their money
and still use il in anyway they may see
proper in this state, save ana except by
investing it in and owning our LANDS. To
my mind this is the best and MODEST law
for home protection to our government amt
people that our legislature did pass or could
have passed. It is just what the great
Democratic party. state and national,
has declared in favor Of i'll
their platforms for several wears.
and what the people of this country want
II is only in line with the demands and re-
qUirementS of the laws of the United states
which forbids the acquisition aru owner
ship of land by foreigners in this govern
ment. But still we do not find these land
sharks and foreign syndicatcs fighting the
United States laws, because it would do no
good
But suppose we had no such laws state or
national. we only have TO look to the pres
ent condition of Things III oppressed Ire
land to see what the result would be i'm Il
few years. English landlordism to-day
reigns supreme and the poor dnwu-truddeu
irish people. who used 10 be an iudepenj-
ent nation and owned their own soil, are to-
day Serfs and tenants of the English capt.
italist
This law is but one right step in the right
direction, and let Us hold to il with 4 firm
grip.
As to the statement III the article above
referred TO that the English loan companies
do not want the land. etc. Thu, is not IN
accordance with facts and their actions il
the past. and will not bear invest catiou. rs
evidenced by reference TO counties cast
where so much loaniug has been done, and
so many poor farmers sold ont Uu-
der their iron rod. If they do not
want the land ask why
turn in and sell the land out from under the
poor wretch Just as soon Is the debt comes
due? If it is only the interest they are after
why not let II run and collect the interest.
Why bind the borrower up 50 tight and
close and require him TO waive 50 many of
his legal rights in your mortgages and deeds
of trust? Why take real estate security
only with gilt-edyed title, If interest Is
all they are after, why not do like The
national banks-take good approved per
s0nal security.
riches, more wealth and Il firm foot hold Oh
cur soil that will enable them to plant
cOlOniStS III this government, ana in time
become able in their strength and numbers
TO dictate the character of legislation they
want in this country. There is plenty of
money in the Northern and New
England states of America to in
vest in Texas, and they are not prohibited
but invited 10 spend their money with us
Foreign capital has almost become a men
ace to the legislation Of this country now,
and we heartily believe the sooner ii :
checked the better. Foreigners already
are partially interested in 5000, COCO acres Of
land in this state. sufficient for young
province. acquired for building 4 little gran
tie state capital on the breaks of Colorado
river, which they obtained at sluU per.
acre and for which, as was reported through
the press of the country some time ago,
they refused Sl0.O00,OGO even before the
capital was completed. This disproyes the
assertion that foreigners do not want the
land in this country.
Suffice IL to say that were the foreign
syndicate alien enemies allowed to coDble
up the lands in this country, We do not be
lieve IL would be a half century until they
would own One-half this continent. control
the legislation of this country, and many of
our people would be serfS for thPu
and our heretofore boosted Free America
and free speech and free ballot" would
become a thing of the past. Let not only
Texas maintain her alien land law. but may
our sister states East, West. North and
South. follow suit and let our free soil re
main as an inheritance 10 Americans. Re
spectfully, L. p MORGAN.