Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-28
ALIEN LAND LAW.
The Mass Meeting of Citizens
Held Last Night.
THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The Speeches Made Upon the Question
by Those Present-The Committee
of Five to Be Appointed by
the Chairman.

possible, some means looking TO the repeal
of such law or 10 the amending
pf it in such a way as to remove the harsh
features of it.
In the absence of Mai. Van Zandt, the
president of the cham Der of commerce, j. j.
Roche called the meeting to order and was
afterwards made permanent chairman. He
ttated the object of the meeting.
T. B. Burbridge, one of the committee,
hat was appointed at a recent meeting OF
the Chamber of Commerce to draft resolu-
ions on this subject, arose and read the
following:
Whereas, the Dallas Board of Trade has
formulated and passed the following reso-
lutions at their meeting of June Aninstant:
Whereas, this Board of Trade, in common
with very large portion of the business
men and property owners of this city, be-
ieve that the operation of what is known
as the alien land law, recently enacted by
the legislature, will prove most disastrous
to every interest in the state; and
Whereas, these disastrous effects eau
only be prevented by early and prompt ac-
ton of the legislature in repeating or
amending said law; and
Whereas, it is necessary for the governor
to name in his call for an extra session all
subjects or questions which can be acted
on; and
Whereas, it is understood, or expected,
That call for an extra session will soon be
made; be it
Resolved, l. That the president of this
Board of Trade appoint a committee of
seven prominent citizens. who are hereby
requested TO call personally upon his excel
lency, Governor Hogg, and request him to
embrace in any call he may make for an
extra session of the legislature the ques-
ton or ACCESSIBILITY of repeating or amend
ing the alien land law, regardless of the fact
whether he favors or is opposed to said law
, That all other Boards of Trade Chanl,
bers of Commerce and other such business
organizations in the various cities and
towns in Texas, be requested TO take slmi-
lar action promptly by appointing commit
tees for the same purpose.
3 That a copy of these resolutions be fur
nishod Governor Hogg and all BoordS of
Trade and Chambers of Commerce in the
state.
Now, therefore be it resolved by this
Chamber of Commerce and meeting of citi-,
zens assembled. that we heartily indore0
the sentiment expressed in said resolution
and recommend that the president of this
Chamber appoint committee of five citi-
zens to cooperate with like committees from
other Chambers of Commerce and Boards
of Trade in bringing this matter to the at
tention of his eXcellency, Governor Hogg.
After the reading of the resolutions Mr..
Burbridge said that he believed no man
would object to an alien land law if properly
framed and carried out, but that, on the
other hand no one could favor such a law
As strikes at the validity of titles and
whose tendency is to discourage for the
present the best interests of Texas,
That the purpose in introducing the
resolutions was TO show that the citizens of
Fort Worth are in sympathy with the
riews expressed by the Chamber of Com
perce of Dallas. Further, that the coop
ration of this Board of Trade with others
If the state would do much toward gaining
he object in view.
T.. j. Hurley next spoke on the subject
and said that the law is undoubtedly uncon-
Btitutional, inasmuch as this country had
treaties with Great Britain and other coun-
tries which guarantee the protection of
citizens of those countries and also
their interest; that the passage of this law
was a direct violation of a national treaty,
and that no state was warranted in passing
law that violated one made
Dy the national government. He then Of
Tered the following resolution:
Whereas, it is possible to reach de-
eision from the supreme court before the
next meeting of the legislature of Texas,
which decision if favorable will not require
that any action shall be asked from the
legislature; therefore, be it
Resolved, that committee of conference,
consisting of one person from each Cham
Der of Commerce and Board of Trade in the
,tate of Texas be appointed, said committee
10 bring suit and have the same pressed
10 the supreme court of the state to pass on
!he constitutionality of the alien land law,
AS passed by the last legislature
MIR. Hurley thought this the best means
for arriving at something definite and tangi-
BILE on the subject, as it would test in the
quickest way possible the validity and the
eonstitutionality of the law, and thus end
argument and dissension on the subject.
J. j. Scott favored the resolution pre-
rented by Mr.. Hurley, believing it to be
The most eXpedient way of disposing of the
Jaw, that the bill was passed just
VI the Legislature when everything was upc.;
,ettled at the capital and every one wished
70 get away, and consequently that
The bill was not looked into as
Il otherwise would have been, but
The rules were suspended and the law
passed He believed that had the legisla-
,ors had time to consider the mat
ter very few wodld have voted for
1t, and that calmer consideration would
induce them to vote for its repeal. He
thought that Governor Hogg would decline
10 eau the special session, but that in re-
Questing special session the sense of the
people on the subject would be manifested,
and the result would be salutary.
Mr. Swayne, the representative of Tar
rant county in the legislature and who
worked for the bill, was present and was
Salled upon. Mr.. Swayne said - hat he had
,een condemned by many of his
friends and by the press of the
fty for voting for the alien
and bill; that his vote was cast conscien-
iously; that he represented large constit-
,ency and that the few men before him
we're mostly lenders or borrowers; but that
large majority of his people, the masses
we're neither borrowers or lenders and that
pine-tenths of them comprise this class.
He believed that five-SiXths of the peo-
pie of his county We're in
tavor of the law as it
stands and that one-sixth were probably in
favor of modification. but that nearly all.
were in favor of an alien land law When
he was elected to Office he was elected not to
represent so much his particular friends who
are most all borrowers, nor his own inter-
est, but that there was such a thing as
representative having enough patriotism to
look beyond self-intereSt and to cast his
vote for the future as well as the present.
That in voting for this bill he did what he
thought was best for the interests of Tar
rant county and for Texas, and that time
would reveal the good effects it would have
on the state. He then mildly suggested
that if any change was made those clamor-
ing for itwould have to procure their change
through the very members Of the
legislature whom they were condemning.
The passage of the bill was not intended to
work against the interest of the loan COM
panies in the state, and if looked at
in the right way would not be-
That the continued paying of that inteNs|
for the use Of foreign capital was a con-
H.