El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-03
AGUIRRE SAYS He
WAS MISQU0TED
Mexican Constitution Pro
hibits Foreign Land Own
ership Near Frontier.

Mexico City, Mex. April S., BY As
ISOLATED Press In Lower Caiifor-
MIA there are various foreign inter
ests, among which are one or two
japanese. to which have been given
concessions fcr the exploitation Of
the natural resources in various
places, but none Of them has been
/ permitted. FOR VIII be permitted 20
acquire tracts OF land because the
constitution prohibits this definite
! ~" was a statement made yesterday
; by Gen. Amado Aguirre. under sec
] rotary of agriculture and develop
menL Naturally there has been a
respect for those companies hOldins
concessions. which have always COM
piled with the stiplatious OF their
contracts but some companies, among
them the Mexican Land company.
have had their contracts nullified FOR
not having complied with all their
provisions. These concessions viii be
duly and legally liquidated.
Must Divide Holdings.
Those Interests which have large
holdings viii be obliged 70 divide
them and nobody viii be given more
than $500 acres"
Gen. Aguirrs declared the govern
ment had not and would not allow
foreign interests to ootsin. land IN N
Lower California and pointed OUT
that article q OF the constitution
prohibits foreigners from holding
lands within 60 miles OF a frontier
and 80 miles OF seacoast He said
that under these provisions, because
Of the geographical situation Of Low
er California, il would be very i'm
possible for foreign interests 70 Sc
cure any considerable tract, even in
the Interior, because Of the narrow
ness Of the peninsula
None Has Land Rights.
I In sill
eigners the under secretary stated
that among those holding fishing
rights were both japanese and Nor
wegians, but he made Il plain that
no foreign interests held right TO land
along the coasts
Discussing an interview with him
by g representative Of the newspaper
Excelsior, Of this city. on March %.
which was embodied IN an Associated
Press dispatch OF that date, Gen
Aguirre declared Il was inaccurate
in some respects In taking up this
interview at length, Il was pointed
out that % was stated that the con-
cessions were fully authorized BY the
provisions Of the constitution, which.
he said. ABSOLUTELY robbed the first
sentence. stating japanese corpora
lions have been granted concessions
70 exploit agricultural lands IN Lover
California OF any meaning that
would cause alarm" since the geo
graphical configuration OF Lower
California and constitutional prOvi-
sions REGARDING zones barred to for
eiFnere absolutely prohibited large
holdings.
Dispatch Incorrect
The under secretary declared, how
ever. ttat the dispatch was incorrect
in that the only concessions granted
were five year permits TO conduct
fishing operations. which permits al
low no land or port holdings. Cen
Agufrre stated that. when asked re-
gardinE the reported concessions by
George T Summerlin. ad interim
charge at the American embassy here
he informed the American diplomat OF
the facts substantially as given IN
his statement quoted above.
Baron Oterl japanese minister 10
Mexico. stated yesterday that the
only agricultural interests held by
his countrymen were small rice lands
near Mexicali. which he said we're ab-
soiutelv without Importance.