The State Of Illinois Has In Operation

i stringent ïaw against alien ownership of land. A noted foreign owner of a few thousand acres of Illinois land is now selling it. If he does not do so in a specifted time, the land will belong to the state. It is conflscation pure and simple. In a short time, other states will probably do the same. An English family owns a good slice of Pittsburg. Some of the most influential papers are applauding Illinois. But the Iiish Scully did no more in Illinois than our laws allow our own eitizens to do. We have told in these columns how the Morans, of Detroit, gobble all the improvements made on their land by tenants, thus taking the sjvings of a lifetime from many a hard-working man. What difference does it make to those tenants whether their landlords live in I California or Canada? Not a whit. We allow one citizento hold more tban one j county in extent of Michigan land, and I a few men and corporations have I celed out the upper península among themselves. They will enjoy all the enormous increase in value which the labor of others will give to that land. 1 It doesn't mako much difference to the I toilers whether the land-owners live in Michigan orEngland,- atrifle.perhaps, but not much. Someof the most bitter and unreasonable landlords of Ireland live in the island ; and the Morans live i u Detroit. It is a great step forward, however, when society admits that aliens should not absorb the increase of land values. President Willits, of the Agricultural college, thinks corporations should not be aüowed that privilege. By and by, society will see that if it is harmful to allow aliens and corporations that privilege, it isharmful to give it to any one.