The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1902-03-26
Alien Land Law.

the Western Union Land Com
pany, II foreign corporation, or
ganized under the laws of Mis-
souri,, has made to the Secretary
of State for u renewal Of its per-
nit to do business in Texas. This
Company was granted II ten years
permit in1S9O under the old for
eign corporation act, TO do busi-
ness in Texas, the character Of
its business be ing to acquire and
sell real estate. In 1893 the alien
land act prohibiting foreign and
domestic corporations from ac-
quiring real estate under their
permits or charters, was passed.
Under this act, foreign corpora
tions were given fifteen years in
which to ALLEVIATE or dispose of
their real estate holdings in this
state. This stipulated period will
expire i'm 1908, making it about
six years yet TO run.
The Western Union Land Com
pany'- ton-year5' permit having
expired, it now makes appIica-
ton for its renewal. The old per-
NIT gave it the right to acquire
and sell real estate, and the Ques-
tion arises as to whether the old
permit can bc renewed. The
matter has been referred inform
ally to the Attorney Generals de-
partmcnt for an opinion. 1t is
the unofficial opinion of those
who have carefully looked into
the law and facts affecting the
questions involved that even
should the permit authorizing
this corporation to acquire real
estate in Texas be renewed, it
would be imperative, rs it would
be in conflict with the alien land
act, and that any real estate
which the company may have
acquired in this state since the
passage of that net is subject to
escheatment by the state. A per.
nit authorizing this company t.
liqudate its affairs in Texas can
be granted, but this is rs far a.
authority can be given, say those
who have given the subject atten,
ton.
In this connection it is we'll tC
mention the fact that many of the
foreign corporations which were
authorized to acquire real estate
under the foreign corporation net
Of 1889, have complied with the
prohibitive land law of 1893 and
disposed of their holdings. Most
of these corporations obtained
their ten-year permits to do bust
ness in Texas from the Secretary
of State during the years 1890 and
1900 and comparatively few Of
them applied for renewals when
the ten-year period expired. Those
which have made such application
were granted only authority to
liquidate, the provision to acquire
real estate being eliminated in the
renewal permits.
While Il number of the cOmpan-
les which did not renew their per-
mits when the ten-year period ex-
pired are known to be still doing
business in Texas, the Secretary
of States department has NJ
official knowledge rs to the meth
cd of their operation.
The foreign land corporation.
doing business in this state have
disposed of many hundreds o
thousands of acres of land to in
dividuals since the alien land Law
went into effect, and it is nov
apparent that the law has not ha'
the ruinous effect that was anticl
pated by some. 1t has cause'
many large tracts of land to b.
divided into farms and smalle
ranches and sold to actual set
tiers. The law makes no distinc
ton between foreign and domestl
corporations in the matter q
owning real estate, and the HON
. companies are also disposing q
their realty holdings as rapidly a
possible.