The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-03 00:00:00

AN M.P.'S TRAVELS.

Times must be very bad indeed just now, other-
wise Mr. Bernard Samuelson, M.P., would hardly be
allowed six columns of the Daily Naas in which to
relate his Irish experiences. This gentleman, who
represents Banbury, is one of the many members of
Parliament who have been over to Ireland to study
land matters. He bas returned full of wisdom and
knowledge. Formerly, Mr. Samuelson, though an
advanced Liberal, thought that with religious uality
Ireland
might compensation for improvements in land Ireland
might safely be left to develop her prosperity. Now he
is convinced that the bitterness of past wrongs and
the oppression which the relations between landlord
and tenant still admit of will require very substantial
legislative enactments. The demand for security of
tenure is heartily supported, he says, by independent
men of the tenant class who abstain froth active agi-
tation, and who by long leases or otherwise are them-
selves safe. By the most moderate of the Roman
Catholic clergy the demand is regarded as mere jus-
tice. Many of the leading land agents would be glad
if it were adopted, and they affirm that it exists by
custom on all properties which are administered
-with justice. More than this, Mr. Samuelson
freely concedes that in the great majority of cases
no oppression is practised by. landlords towards
their tenants. "But the exceptions are sufficiently
numerous to justify the demand for security, and I
am quite certain that unless it be granted we may as
well abstain from all legislation in reference to the
land of Ireland."

Beyond these ordinary phases of the question,
the member for Banbury makes one or
two noteworthy remarks. It is a mistake, he
affirms to regard Ireland as a country chiefly
fitted for pasturage; the greater part of the soil is
capable of growing crops, not, indeed, wheat to any
great extent, but oats, barley, and particularly root
crops. It is equally a mistake to affirm that small
farms are unprosperous ; the rule is, that holdings of
twelve or thirteen acres furnish a much better living
than could be got by an English agricultural labourer.
It is worthy of note, too, that the land, as a whole, is
not too highly rented. "A new generation of prudent
and solvent tenants would, as a rule, gladly give a
fair sum for the good-will of the existing holders."
The remedy, Mr. Samuelson thinks, lies in converting
into law the custom of the country—of legalising the
Ulster tenant right. The projects for converting the
landlords into annuitants by grantinc, fixity of tenure
are needless and unjust. On the best estates it is a
custom that farms are inherited by preference ; the
property of the occupier in permanent improvements
being admitted, the tenant's interest to a de-
sirable successor is sanctioned ; the rent is altered
only when the value of produce changes materially.
If the owner wishes to resume the whole or part of a
farm, ho makes fair compensation to the tenant.
These customs form the tenant-right of Ulster, and
they exist more or less in other parts of the country.
Give them the force of law, and all is done that need
be done. The member for Banbury holds that the
improve-