The herald., 1895-04-24
The Constitutional Amendment
of Last Autumn
THE LONDON TINES PART
A Bit of Personal Mention and the
Story With II
An Interesting Talk With Foreigner VINO
Came to Invest and Who
Returns Disappointed

for the east, and after very brief time,
for home. This bit of personal mention
brings with it a story and perhaps,
lesson as well.
Mr. Freir is the happy, though modest
possessor OF capital, brains and push.
He came to California about eight weeks
ago representing a syndicate of English
capitalists to look the country over and
if be thought favorably colonists would
come, lands be purchased and improve
ment and other enterprises started. II is
we'll to state right here that the gentle-
man is almost reticent III speaking OF
himself and abilities. He is courteous
and allows his many documents to pro
claim for him wat might have been
done had it not been for an amendment
to-tbe state constitution voted upon and
adopted at the last general election.
AS stated. f. W. Freir came to this
state as the representative OF English
capitalists, prepared. had no opstacle pre-
sented itself. to prepare the way Tor an
infusion here not only of new blood, but
new money and new enterprises. He had
not been in the state two weeks before he
received a copy of the London Times, u
newspaper which it is hardly necessary to
state. enjoys an immense circulation IN
its fell, and whose utterances are looked
portion which was marked and to which
the attention of Mr.. Freir was called, was
as follows:
"Alien Land Law in California--'A resi-
dent Englishman writes to us from Cal
ifornia By the enclosed extract from one
OF the local papers your readers VIII learn
that the state of California has passed n
law forbidding aliens to acquire title to
land, whether by purchase or succession.
So many young Englishmen have been
coming into this country of4ate, attracted
ty the exaggerated accounts of the pros
peritv in the fruit industry that | earn
estly desire all British parents clearly to
understand that in the future their sons
can only become owners of the soil of
California on condition OF assuming
American citizenship. The Inducements
to an alien that is, an Englishman-to
surrender his own nationality have al
ways been strong from the TACT that he
had no vote, could enter upon no public
lands. and aspire to no political office eX-
cept on condition OF such surrender.
Tin the present state of the law it be-
comes almost a necessity for young
Englishman, if he emigrates to Califor-
MIA, TO abandon the heritage of his name.
forswear allegiance to his queen and
country, and be prepared if the occasion
calls. to bear arms against the land OF his
birth"
The following extract is taken from the
paper referred to: Many of the leading
news papers of this state strongly opposed
the adoption by the people of that partic-
ular amendment to the State Constitution
submitted at the election of last Novem-
Der, which provided practically that no
one but a citizen could hold real estate in
California. The amendment has
been ratified by the people, however, and
its ill effects are already beginning to be
felf A San Francisco OewSnaOer several
days after the amendment had been
adopted, announced the withdrawal of a
large amount of English capital from the
state. Even more serious results have
been noticed, however in various por-
tions of the state in the fact that English
here in numbers, taking up small
pieces OF land and setting them
out to fruit, are debarred from do
ing so. They can purchase land
after they become citizens, but that
takes some years, even if the Englishman
would renounce his allegiance to Queen
Victoria. 1t must be remembered that
making most desirable settlers because
they are intelligent and educated and
have a little money, which they invara-
bly, spend in buying highly improved
places OF improving to SUIT themselves
are most tenacious of their British citl-
zenship and rarely renounce it thong h
they become practical Americans through
long residence here and intercourse with
the people.
This was about the first intimation that
the gentleman had received of the amend
ment to the state constitution referred to.
From seeing and talking almost wholly
with business men and tinanciers the gen
tleman turned to prominent attorneys,
whom he sought for the purpose of first
ont i11S f hat ba a ont 70
constitution was. and second. to ascertain
the construction or Interpretation that
might be placed upon it. together with
the effect it would have upon his inter-
ests. He quickly learned that the amend.
ment was that portion of the following
Enclosed in brackets;
Section II. Foreigners of the white
race or of African descent eligible to be.
come citizens of the Unitad States under
the naturalization laws thereof, while
bona tide residents of the state, shall
have the same rights in respect tc
the acquisition. possession, enjoyment
transmission and inheritance of property
citizens; (provided that such aliens own.
ing real estate at the time of the adop-
tion of this amendment may remain such
owners; and provided further, that the
legislature may, by statute, provide fol
the disposition of real estate which shall
thereafter be acquired by such aliens by
descent or devise.)
las to the Interpretation that is placed
upon the amendment" said Mr.. Freil
yesterday afternoon to Herald reporter,
''opinion differs. | have consulted with
some of the best lawyers in the state
among them Cormac e. Donoghoe of Sar
Francisco and ex-Attorney General Har
of California, and while the opinions rem
dered by them are very diverse, yet Their,
is enough danger in the amendment,
think, TO forbid English capital an en-
trance here. AS the matter stands a
present. we have no security under YOU
state constitution.
The amendment balloted upon ant
adopted a. your election last Novemb be-
provides that the legislature hereafter
may by statute provide for the DISPOSE
ton OF real estate which may be ac
qured by resident aliens by descent o.
devise. That body is not required to sto,
short OF the absolute confscation of thu
real estate of foreigners, and would seen
to prohibit it from being devised at al
and it even provides for its escheat to tn,
state on the death of its present owner
and holder
II cannot, of course, recommend the
investment IN California lands to my
people. Whether they will look t.
Africa or some,l other of the British
provinces for a home and for invest
mentor not, 1caniiot say, but it is safe t.
saylthat under the circumstances yer,
little capital will come here. l am sorrs
for tlfis,' too, for l admire California
thoroughly and think highly of her pos