The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-02-08
Alien Ownership of Land.

&@AAGRS WO A1NO AGV GcOA
the Importance OF this demand as we
think we have of soma others. The sub
ject is worth our most serious and ear
nest consideration. We do not propose
here and now to enter into an exhaustive
discussion CT the question, but simply to
call your attention to the report made to
the Fifty-frst congress by the judiciory
committee, which had been instructed to
investigate and report to that body the
extent of alien ownership of land in this
country. In this report, No. 1888, first
session Of the Fifty.frst congress, We
find the following:
Your committee has ascertained with
reasonable certainty that certain noble
men-principally Englishmen-haVe &C
quired and now own in the aggregate
about 81, 100000 acres of land within the
United States.
Now, mark you, these are English no.
blsmen, and they have acquired the land,
and it is in large bodies.
The report says further
We have not sufficient information to
state the quantity owned by untitled
aliens, nor is this so important, as it is
generally held in smaller bodies. This
alien nonresident ownership will, in the
course Of time, lead to a system of land
lordism incompatible with the best in
terests and free institutions of the
United States. The foundation Of such
a system is being laid broadly in the
western states and territories. A consid-
erable number Of immigrants annually
arriving in this country are to become
tenants and herdsmen on the vast pos
sessions of these foreign lords under
contracts made and entered into before
they sail for our shores.
The avarice and enterprise Of Euro
pean capitalists have caused them to in
vest in American railroads and land
bonds, covering perhaps 100,0O0,0O0
acres, the great part of which, under
foreclosure sale, will most likely before
many years become the property Of those
foreign bondholders in addition to their
present prlncely possessions. 1t is thus
manifest that if the present large alien
ownership is an evil, Of which we have no
doubt, the probabilities Of the near future
will still more imperatively demand leg
Aislation for it's prevention. This aggres-
sive foreign capital is not confined to
lands it has purchased, but overlap
ping it's boundaries has caused hundreds
of miles of public domain to be fenced
up for the grazing Of vast herds Of cattle,
and set at defiance the rights Of the hon
est but humble settler.
The committee cites one instance in
which Mr.. Scully, subject Of the queen
and residing In England, owns $4,000
acres Of land in Illinois, tensnted by ig-
norant foreigners from whom he receives
100000 per annum and 'expendS it in
England; and another instance, the
Scheuley's estate in Pennsylvania, from
which they draw annual rentals Of not
less that 100000, and says, "NO other
nation in the world allows subjects of
other governments to acquire ouch
possessions within its Jurisdiction" We
present these extracts from this report
to show that those who are in power how
know full well what is going on. They
see the danger and cannot shirk it. This
report was made by Mr.. Oates, Of Ala
bama, and he closes it with these words,
which are as true az gospel:
With the natural increase in populR.
ton and the 500, 900 foreigners who flock |
to our shores annually and by competi- |
tion are reducing the wages Of labor, the
battle of life is made harder to win.
How, few years hence, to provide homes