Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-22
4 MISTAKEN POEICY.

They who clamor for a repeal instead
of modification Of the alien land law,
make mistake that will hinder instead
Of promote much needed relief. The
principle OF the law has fast hold
upon the minds Of the people through
out the West and Southwest. and rather
than accede to the demands of those
who oppose it unqualifiedly. they will
take stubborn stand and resist any in
reference with the law, defective and
injurious as it is. Whether there is
any particular need at the present time
for d law prohibiting alien ownership,
or whether such a law is wholly bad. is
not at all the question 10 be discussed.
and should not be made an issue. It
grows palmer every day that some sort
Of law OF that kind is wanted, and
the opposition of extremists will only
fastcn the conviction all the more
firmly in the minds Of the people. The
real question to put before the people,
and TO explain TO them, is. the defective
and pernicious character OF the law, as
it stands, and the urgent need for
amending il. Satisfy them on that
point. and there will be no trouble in
securing the needed alterations. But
ii instead of that, We are to go on com
batting the principle of the law, and
putting ourselves in the attitude Of
fighting the battles of alien syndicates
and capitalists, we will get nothing.
and the mischievous law will be per-
petuated on the statute books, to the
wreck and ruin of thousands. You
may call it Grass stupidity and per-
verseness on the part of the people TO
deny even slight modification OF the
law under such circumstances, but that
won't help the case particle. Calling
names is poor business.
The law was passed practically with
out opposition in the legislature. 1t
was enacted hurriedly at the close Of
the session. Due attention was not
given to the details of it for that rea-
son. The principle of the bill was ac-
ceptable to the members of both houses,
and without examining it. they gave
the measure their votes. Synopses Of
the bill were published in the daily
papers at the time. and yet not voice
was raised against the bill by any of
those who are now so vigorous in their
denunciation of an alien land law. The
reason of that is plain enough. They
did not know the mischief that lurked
in article 10 OF the law. Months had
passed before it was discovered. and
then It was as great a surprise to the
legislators who had voted for it as to
others. a number Of the solOns who
gave it their support have since eX-
pressed a Willingness TO modify the
law so as to make it what the le9isla
ture intended it to be. But how many
have said that they would vote to wipe
out the law entirely? Has one?
SO we say, is utterly futile and highly
mischievous to assail the principle Of
the law in the face of a well-defned
and deep-rooted popular conviction
that it is sound and salutary. Twenty
five years OF tariff reform argumenta-
ton and irrefutable logic did not cause
the people OF Kansas to waver an inch
in their devotion to the plundering
tariff. They believed it would make
them all independent, and did not
change that belief until it had made
them paupers. II the people are capa-
bic OF such fidelity to wrong idea,
what may we expect of them when they
plant themselves on principle that, to
say the least OF it, is as old as civiliza-
ton itself?