Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-20
THE ALIEN LAND LAW.
VIEWS OF LEGISLATORS ON TIE
IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
The Way the Law Could be Amended
without Sacrificing Its Good
Points.
Senator Carriers Views.
Fort WORTH. TEX Sept. 1


Editor Fort Worth Gazette. Fort Worth. Tex.
Sir-Replying to your favor of the Sd
instant, concerning the alien land law, l
beg leave 20 say:
l. That | am not in favor of the law as It
stands. There certainly can be no good
reason for excluding foreign money from
Investment in land mortgages in Texas.
This alien land law as it stands is in obedt-
ence to the sixth plank of the Farmers
Alliance platform, adopted at Dallas IN the
latter part OF the summer of 1890, and has
no relationship, kindred or affinity TO
Democratic doctrines. 1t is the reverse of
Democratic.
. The amendment I would suggest to the
law would be TO strike out the word 'herc.
tofore'' in article l0c. ] do not believe that
any reasonably fair-minded person could OBJ
ject TO such amendment. The law would
then allow aliens to hold land purchased
under mortgage foreclosures, subject 10 the
proviso that they shall ALLEVIATE the same
within six years after purchase.
3. Your third inquiry is: Was the in
tent of the law to exclude foreign capital
from the staten Gathering the intent
from the words of the law itself. must say
that it occurs to HE that it was the inten-
ton of the lawmakers to exclude foreign
capital from Texas; and ! regard 1t as the
most hurtful statute ever passed by
Texas legislature.
Texas is new country and needs all the
capital it can possibly get. The Farmers
Alliance of Texas are asking for many
millions of additional capital for the people
of the United States, and how they can az
complish this end by excluding foreign cap
ital | cannot comprehend. Some good peo-
pie contend that to allow mortgages on the
real estate of Texas would be hurtful, for
that the people would be improvident, Dor
row largely and never pay. At the same
time we are informed by the Farmers Al
iancc that it is their purpose TO create a
national law whereby they can mortgage all
of their lands and all of their produce. On
the one hand they are opposing mortgages
as hurtful to the country and on the other
they are advocating the creation of larger
mortgage Indebtedness than was ever heard
of since Pharaoh cribbed all the corn and
wheat in Egypt during the seven years OF
prosperity and gathered in all the sheckels
and land for it during the seven years OF
blight.
think it is high time that the Demo
cratic party in Texas was looking out for
itself and that it should preach Democratic
doctrine and adherance to Democratic plat
forms and not obedience to Farmers
Alliance demands. This law has already,
in my humble opinion, ruined a great many
good men in Texas, and will, before it pos
sibly can be amended, do greater harm than
it has.
| wish further to call your attention TO the
fact that the United States government has
treaties with many of the other nations,
giving citizens of such nations the right to
own land in the United States These
treaties are the supreme law of the land.
and will override any state statute. There
is. however, no treaty between England
and the United States giving the subjects
of Great Britain the right TO own land in
America Speaking now from memory.
Spain, Russia, Italy and some few other
such countries have greater rights under
the treaties made with the United States for
their citizens in respect to the matter under
consideration, than Great Britain. Not de-
string to make any invidious comparison. I
believe that the English people will at least
compare favorably with those of the coun-
tries Just named. Very respectfully,
a. NJ. CARTER.