The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-05-29
THE NDEpEN4E
Irish Waste Lsaa.


In the review which appeared ii
yonrslast issue of the able and yalua-
BILE article of O'Connor Power, II. r.
in this mouths Ninefssnfh Genfaru.
You refer to some points Of objection
IN the proposal be makes for the ssex.
preparation aud reclamation Of tbs
waste lands Of Ireland" As his ideas
upon this important economie cues
ton happen TO more fully elaborate
tho rough outlines Of similar
scheme suggested by me II, . letter
which appeared in the Spectator Of
September 20, 1879, / trust yoa viii
accord me the privilege Of explain
ing with more minuteness those ap
parent blots which you condemn as
impraeticabIe.
In reply to your question as to the
extent OF culturable land, l have to
remark that by the most recent Re.
turns there are ,653, ,551 acres Of ab.
sointeiy waste and unproductive
land in Ireland (over ffth of the
total area). The unanimous opinion
OF those best capable of Judging Of
the natural capabilities Of the coil
and the relative difficulty of It's in
provement, calculate that at the
lowest possible estimate over 2 000
ooo acres are capable Of easy and
prohtable reclamation. Such was
the opinion of the Parliamentary
Commission, and such is the iude-
ment OF every experienced arrie6I-
turlst. By alloting this extent Of
now waste land in twenty acre par.
celments to the Iandless Iaborinn
population or dependent eottier class.
over 100000 families or SOC, 600 per-
sons would be comfortably and
wisely provided for, who woald
thereby cease to be an membranes
as paupers or disturbance as agita.
tors. II the problematic claims Of i
proprletorial class who nobly kept
these lands waste since by siraud Or
force, they became possessed Of
them, and who reIigiously intend
maintaining them in the same eondi-
ton, be disregarded and uncom-
pensated, the subsequent cost Of
drainage and thorough reclamation,
and even the initial expense of build
ing house, providing implements,
seed and food for the FIRST year,
would be an average rent for twenty
acres of f5 year for the first three
years, and ETA for thirty.two years,
being for principal and interest about
Q per cent. on the original advance.
The encouraging incentive that az
The end of that term, or sooner if be
purchase the rent.charge, the oecu-
pier of that annually improving hold
ing would be its sole and absolute
owner, would nerve his arm and
quicken his brain to ceaseless labor
and constant toll. With the charac-
teristic aearth hunger" of the Ceif,
ne will keep grip of the farm, and
5y no conscious act suffer himself 70
De deprived of the accommodating
fuits Of his endeavors. OF course,
n the surrounding competition fer
and, and the conviction Of tho nnre.
entiDg sternness of the obligation
ind the risk of confiscation of yeas
# industry, no one except-R criminal
ira fool would SreapSf evasion 81
'epudiation. The Consequences that
would follow are sufficient to deter
my from such course, and the ex.
.erience of the working of the
1hurch act clearly proves the hon.
sty OF intention and ambition Of aim
N the part of the Irish peasant to
ully and expeditiously clear away
he debt, when regulated upon sueh
intelligent principles. As tho waste
ands are q common commodity,
heir allotment as suggested in
wenty-acre applotments would more
venly distribute the population.
essen the national weight of panper.
Sun, and increase the general pro-
Iuctiyeness of the country London
spectator, December 9th