Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-17
ALIEN LAND LAW.
MORE REPLIES TO THE GA
ZETTE'S INQUIRIES.
Mr.. Rogan Indicates the Law He Would
Like to See--Mr. Reynolds Opposed
to the Present Law
MIR. Rogan Favors Changes.
=,
brentwood, TEN, Sept. 4. 1891.

BROWNWOOD, ZEN, sept. i. 1871.
To the Fort Worth Gazette:
In reply to your favor of recent date, So
Letting an expression from me on the alien
land law, will state that am i'll favor of an
alien land law and supported the present
law when it came before the legislature for
action.
| do not believe, however, that the
friends of the bill We're fully advised as to
its disastrous effects. That It will work
great hardship 10 those wl.o borrow is not
disputed Neither is il disputed that it
W II drive illions of capital from our state.
1t is Il mistaken idea on the part OF the
friends OF the law that no one will be hurt
except town boomers and real estate
agents." The principal sufferers in West
Texas are farmers who have purchased
land on time. The vendors have sold their
notes to loan companies, who are
now demanding payment as the
notes mature Heretofore these
companies have extended the time of pay
ment because it was the interest on their
money, not the land, that they desired.
| do not believe it was the intention of
the legislature to drive capital from the
state nor to crush those who are compelled
to borrow money on land and vendors lien
notes, whether they be booming the town
or the country, or whether they are
trying 10 shake off the yoke of landlordism
by buying farms of their own and getting
loan companies to carry them until they are
able to pay for their lands.
Whether they be town boomers or
farmers. or otherwise, who borrow money.
they are citizens of Texas, and possess
rights that should be respected, and / do
not believe it was the intention of the legis-
lature to pass a law SO far-reachlng and evil
in its consequences as the present law.
The bill was called up for action in the
house just before the close f the session,
when everything was i'll rush, when the
legislators were restless and eager
to adjourn, and when everyone was
trying 10 call up his own bill
No one will for moment pretend to say
that it was possible for every member TO
acquaint himself with the ESQ bills intro
duced into the house, TO say nothing OF the
senate bills which came before it, during u
single sitting of the Legislature. Free dis
cussion is the only way by which members
of the legislature can acquaint thems Ives
with the features of every bill. The pres
ent law was not discussed in the house. [
believe my friend, Mr. Gossett. the author
of the bill. was the only one who spoke to it.
No one cared to listen 10 an argument so
near the close of the session. The evils of
English landlordism had all been enum-
Grated and exposed about two
weeks prior TO that time in
lengthy and heated debate upon an amend
ment offered by Judge Terrell to senate bill
No. 100, known as the private corporation
act" when that bill was before the house;
the Democratic party was pledged to the
passage of an alien land law, and, as
"a matter of course, a large ma or-
ity of the house favored the
bill and no discussion was had.
| voted for the bill, and, for one, was misled
as to its extent and scope. ! say misled for
the reason that Judge Terrell amendment,
above referred to, was thoroughly discussed
in the house week or ten days before the
alien land bill was called up, and while, in
my opinion, his amendment was not so radi-
cal as the present law, it had the same
end in view so far as existing evils were
sought to be remedied. His original amend
ment was lost in the house by vote of a.
to "a House Journal, page ISL, and l was
one of the members who voted for Mr..
Connellee's amendment, as against Judge
Terrells. MIR. Connellee's amendment pre-
vailed, but when the bill went back to the
senate, it too, was rejected because
IL was regarded as too radical This
shows, in my opinion, the sentiment Of the
legislature upon j kindred subject, which
had cen thoroughly ventilated by argu-
ment.
l have long been an advocate of, and now
favor an alien land law, but l am opposed
to the law as it now stands My idea of a
law is one that would authorize corporations
or aliens to make loans on real
estate, and wheneverit became necessary- to,
ard they did in fact foreclose, and become
purchasers under the mortgage, they then
should have five or six years within which
TO dispose of it. l believe such law
would be remedy for every evil
heretofore practiced; it would in
vite, instead of driving capital
from the state, keep more money in circu-
lation. rid the law of paternalism, and at
the same time it would prevent English
landlordism, destroy perpetuities and break
the strength of corporate power.
In thus expressing myself, wish to be
understood that l am only giving my opin-
ion, in so far as the intent of the legislature
is concerned, based on the facts above
stated, and 1 speak for no one except
myself. A change is necessary, and
l believe one would be made, ii the gov
ernor should:nclude that subject in the call
for an extra session, in the event he should
see fit to reconvene the legislature to re-
district the state. CHAs RoGAS
Mr. Reynolds Thinks it Hurtful.