, 1881-08-21
@ Ie anenainents proposed by Lord Salisbury
anu lne lory Peers because believed that

soAf.FlIlSG MUST 1T: DONE,
ato Lat 1t was the duty OF all parties to
e"'"ol'1e u. bring about Il settlement Of tic
question II possible, but [ never supposed
.fat Ills bill would allay all discomfort in
1reland'' '@~''0 -
What, then, will it doc"
10 begin with, it will check any Injustice
Which small number Of Irish landlords may
oe disposed to commit. 1t gives the tenants
all te benefits by law which are :llready con-
ceded by landlords who treat their tenants
fairly. 1t will therefore satisfy I'LL who are
laoorlng under real grievances. On many
properties it will make no difference what
ever. On mine, for instance, l do not aMtici-
pate t1lAt the Land Court will ever be called
into reuuisltion BY either side. But the bill
gives the people system Of land tenure
which they like, and which is more III ac-
cordance with their habits and prejudices
than amy other. This is
TIE DIRECT BENEFIT
conferred by the bill. On the other hand
there Is the danger that landlords may hence
forth stand ont for their strict legal rights,
and that the generosity Which OH many
estates las been shown to the people will
be Withheld. Many, l may say most,
landlords have dealt literally with their tell
ants. They anu their fathers before them
have taken personal Interest i'll tho welfare
of the teIlantry, looked after cottages. assist
ed them in their difficulties, and honestly
tried to promote their welfare. All that may
now be left tn chancc.''
'Then you think the just landlords have
been in tile majoritys''
mo doubt you remember that Mr.. Glad
stone in Introducing the bill said that the
landlords had been nut oil their trial alld ac
quilted. Harsh landlords are few in mum
bcr.''
"What about the farm ]aborers? DO they
derive any beietit from the measure ~
II DO not see that they do. think
THEY OUGHT To HAVE EEl:S SPECIALLY
- CONSlnEEED.
/ entcayored to get an amendment to the
bill preventing 4 tenant from under
letting the patch or conacrs to the
ltbOTer at IN unfair rent Tic
bill enables the laburcr with a small holding
to go into court and appeal against his rent.
and throws upon him the responsibility of
showing that the rent is unfair. Few labor
ers are likely To do that. l wished, if the
laborer refused 10 pay his rent. to throw upon
the tenant the responsibility OF showing that
Tie rent was fair, and making hinlsllow good
cause for raising it. The Government would
not accept this amendment. which would
have been Of real advantage to the poorer
class ut iaborers.'
"Wllat section of the people is likely to be
permanently conctliated by the bill ~
6 Everything will depend unon the action
Of the Land Commissioners. There ean be
ITO question that the bill would be
SATISFACTORY ro TIE PEOPLE
il the Commissioners, who will lneet to or
g.,niZe in Il few days, where to retilce rents,
say 30 per cent below Grii1ith's valuation.
That is to say, to 80 per cent below the
actual value of the land. But this they
cannot do if they act fairly. Hence
if they do justice between all parties con-
ccrned the bill will not give genrral salts
faction. The people will be told by the agl-
tatOrs That the Commissioners are pre)lldiced
in favor of the landlords, and there will
be /; renewal Of the agitation. Of course
everybody acquainted with Ssrgt. O1laga1:
knows that he certainly has ITO strons, sympa-
thy with the landlords. Nor can Mr.. Litton
he cllsSeu is landlords friend. But tho
League will raise the cry, and the Commls-
sinners will be looked upon As tho illstru-
1neiit Of landlord rapacity."
'fTllEN WHAT GOOD WILL THE I1LI. Do:
Everything must depend OIL the common
sense of the people. THE bill will prevent
the possibility OF real injustice being done to
them, and if they recognize that and are
guided by spirit Of fair play
there will be ro trouble. l do
not believe in the power uf
the Land League to maintain Il general
strike against rcnts. People seeln to sup,
pose that the League can prevent any one
from taking il farm from which !, tenant has
been removed. but land hunger in Ireland is
too strong for that. Moreover, the landlords
are better. organized than they were. You
may see that from the proceedings OF the
Emergency Committee, whose agents attend
every sale anil sec that the property Is not
rnthles!y sacrificed. At the outset>of the
:.graran troubles the landlords let things
take their course, and did not attempt amy
combined action. 1lencciort|l
THEY WILL ACT WITH ENERGY AND DE-
TERMINATION
in thwarting the League program. If the
struggle continues. some landlords will be
ruined, many impoverished, aud all nit
hard. But III country where land is So
eagerly sought for the people will not 1c de-
tered from taking IL BY the operations Of the
League
'"Do you think the operation of the free
sale provision will be beneficial to tie peo
pie. or tile reverse"'
II should say tie reverse. 1t will ruin
many tenants. who will be induced to pay
more for their land tliaa they can possibly
get out Of it. The present holders, for i'll
stance, HAY
SELL. at A HIGH FIGURE
and 20 Off with the money. leaving behind
them horde Of needy tenants deeply i'll
debt 10 the local nsurers or s:t,llbecn men.
and saddlet1 with burdens which must
break them down i'll the long run. Land hum
ger will present itself in a more acute
form ti,aIl even before. II tile people bid
against cac other for land, and are willing
to undertake to pay Il high price for it.
nothing call prevent them from doing 50.
The. landlords will moi be benefited, n"r the
tenants either. To the fixing
4 T.Al1: RENT
no reasonable landlord can object and he
will concede, If lie has not already done so,
without the Intervention Uf the Court"
"WAat was your opinion OF Lord Lans-