The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-23

AND THEY WILL CONTINUE
TO BE a SOURCE OF SERIOUS
INTERNATIONAL AGCRAvATIoN
UNTIL THE PUBLIC IN BOTH
COUNTRIES Is INFORMED OF
THE :. ACTUAL SITUATION IN
BAJA GowERl CALIFORNIA.
The big essential facts. as 1 have
gathered them from government rec
ords and other sources OF informa.
ton Inaccessible to most inyesti-
gators. are these.
Scveuty-two per cent Of this
Mexican state. the cream Of the
land, Is claimed by foreign inter
eSts. mostly American.
The Mexican government Is In
uudisputed possession Of but five
small. widely separated areas.
-Four foreign corporations
alone assert ownership Of 5000
600 acres-an empire greater
than West Virginia. Delaware
and Connecticut combined. Land
secured ut 2 cents m acre.
Fragrant evasion. however. Of
the contract terms by most Of
the big grantees has resulted in
revocation II 5000 900 acres by
the Mexican government within
the past year.
In thes1 facts IL rooted the
persistent propaganda to annex
Baj~ California to the United
StAtes--A movement assiduousiy
cultivated by Jspanese-lnnd-
grant sczres with their increas-
ingly dangerous international rc-
actions.
Annexation7 Suppose we were
able and inclined to acquire this
"veriform appendix Of America" as
Senator Ashurst OF Arizona recently
Characterized it--what then?
First Of all. we would inherit
lawsuits running up into the
millions.
Presumably. In that ease. we'd
clear title to az per cent Of the
country--FOR THE BENEFIT
OF HALF DOZEN WEALTHY
AMERICAN CORPORATIONS.
The rest of II, belonging to the
American people. would be few
tattered scraps Of unproducfive
land which no one has thus far
wanted. even at cents an acre.
Lower California contains $500
square miles. with population OF
less than $4,000. mostly Indians.
IL could have been a country com
parable in wealth and population to
the state OF California, had the col
onizstion provisions been carried out
by all the grantees. But many Of
these were holding for kings ran.
som what they had acquired for a
song.
Today Baja California Is little
more than a vast waste.
During his latest visit TO this
state. Pastor Roualx. Mexico's min
lister OF Fomento. found four land
companies claiming 5000. 900 acres.
His report shows that colonization
contracts were not carried out In
conformity with this cessions made
under Porfirio Diaz--fhat instead Of
bring In settlers, even the Mexicans
on the land had been In many cases
eyicted.
Then Carranza got busy. The
original grants showed concession
OF 1880, 900 acres TO Luis Hulier:
1.750. 900 acres TO A. Bulle: 1850 900
acres TO the Flores. Hale company,
and s,250. 900 10 Pablo Macedo-all
recurring colonization and payment
OF taxes.
GuiIlermo Andrade. holding $50 900
acres, on which 20 per cent colonial
-. x-.. a. h.. No~fo., ava IN 80.
cent foreign. had sold every inch 10
foreigners, mostly American.
csrranxa found that Macedo had
likewise un1oaded on Americans, and
that Hullcr had absorbed Buile's
land.
The Flores, Hale tract has chang.
ed hands a number Of times. being
last recorded I'm the name OF Delbert
J. Half, who supposedly purchased
Il at auction for 100000 In Amer
can money.
On the ground that contracts had
not been fulfilled, the Mexican gov
eminent has Cancelled every one Of
these gigantic concessions, with the
exception OF that granted Andrade,
which, Mexican officials told me. Is
now being studied so that no injus.
fice may be done those Americans
vino are really trying to COLOMBO.
The history OF transfers, sales and
auctions is long and complicated.
The history Of colonization or
Of benefit 10 Mexico from aIieDa-
ton Of Lower California lands
can be written in one word: Nil.
Former Presidents Comonfort.
Juarez and Diaz had granted or can
ncled concesziona To these lands.