San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-07
A COMPROMISE WITH MEXICO

1t is reported unofficially that tic
American commissioners conceded IN
principle the Mexican governments con-
tention that it had right to repatriate
the ownership of Mexican lands held by
aliens. This, if it is true, means that
Mexico may limit proprietary rights in
all land within the republic to her own
citizens. In other words, not only would
foreigners be unable in the future to ac-
uuire Mexican lands in fee, but those
who now own Mexican lands in fee
would have to give up such possessions
upon the demand of the Mexican gov
eminent.
Yet such an arrangement would not
be so adverse to the interests of alien
landowners as this superficial descrip-
ton may make it seem. For the report
indicates that the two governments made
compromise agreement. 1t was not
so much to the principle OF repatriation
that Americans owning land in Mexico
objected; they protested more vigorous
" against the manner in which, in some
cases at least, they had been dispossessed,
or to the manner in which the Mexican
authorities undertook to dispossess
them. If the report alluded to is true,
the Mexican government has agreed not
to practice such methods.
Whether it was the conscious purpose
of the Mexican government to confis-
cate lands held by aliens, or certain
Mexican authorities took Incorporate adj
vantage of principle which the repat-
ration law was designed to exercise,
may be debatable question. But there
seems to be no doubt in the minds of
some American owners, or former own
ers, of Mexican lands that the Mexican
government took, or purposed to take,
their holdings from them without COM
pensating them adequately therefor.
If the Mexican government, either di-
rectly or vicariously, ever did practice,
or purpose to practice, method OF
repatriation amounting in effect to con-
fiscation, it will not do so hereafter.
According to that report, the question Of
compensation, whenever the Mexican
government decides to take over for its
own citizens land owned by aliens, will
be decided by an international board to
be created and maintained for the pur-
pose. Thus, if John Doe, an American
citizen, owns tract of land in Mexico
which he thinks is rich in oil or silver
or some other form of wealth, but has
not actually discovered such wealth
there, or, If he has discovered any, has
not ascertained its extent, there would
likely be dispute between him and the
Mexican government as to the value OF
the land. Then it would be the function
of the international board to appraist
the property, and the owners compen.
sation would be no more or less thar
the sum fixed by the board.
The United States government would
not have to go far afield to find the
repatriation principle actually in opera
ton. There are some states in thi
country where aliens are not permitted
to own land. And if the national gov
eminent at any time desires a tract o
land for its own use-and governmental
use is presupposed to be for the com
mon welfare Of American citizens as
whole-it proceeds to acquire such prop
erty by legal condemnation.
If the government OF Mexico believe
that it would promote the common wei
fare Of that country to limit the owner