New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-06
LEADING TOPICS IN LONDON.


RECENT political TOURNAMENT THE AD-
,rv,srp,r1oN UPHELD BY PUBLIC OPINION
IBY CABLE TO THE TRTBUNS'I
toxDov Nov. 5.-The Irish Land Court has gwen
durinq the past week unequivocal indic"''o"' VI
,bo snirit in which it intends to administer inc
land Act Jnstice OHagan's definition OF fan
rent Is sDcb rent as will enable the tenant TO i've
and thrive. This was laid down at the opening Vi
the Court fortnight ago, and has since oeeh "p-
nlied by the Assistant Commissioners at beii"S'
with startling results to the rents on the CRAWFORD
oototo and on the Corn-money tenant 'state al
Dundonald both of which may be called rack
rented. In both the rent was reduced an aNef"B0
of one-thrd all round. The Commissioners EXPRESS
ly said that neither estate had been managed WIN
the liberality expected or usual with lrish Ianu-
lords hence the reduction is greater than the PROV
able average but these cases afford an example
of what will happen to racIented estates generally
Tn botb cases the Commissioners personally exam
ined minutey the properties There Is no reason 10
snnnose that their decision will be reversed II APP
pealed FROM nor is an appeal expected.
MORE SWEEPING CHANGES.
The decision of the same Commission respecting
,mnrovements is regarded as still formidable to
the landlords II substantially declares that i'm
provements shall be presumed to have been maze
by the tenant unless the landlord can prove the
contrary. This reverses completely the presump-
ton supposed to have been created by the act and
shifts the burden of proof TO the landlord, dlsre-
and tenant under which the improvements became
the landlords property. The result is that IN liking
aiudicial rent such improvements, which III many
cases cover large portion of the value OF the prop
erty, will be considered as forming no
mart of the capital on which ths landlord is entitled
IN receive rent. The decision has produced sclne-
thing like CONSERVATION among certain classes OF
landlords, and viii certainly be appealed FROM
though every act and word yet proceeding roIA the
Land Court indicates that it is disposed to hold 10
this sweeping principle The effect is an enormous
increase in the business Of the Court, which before
these decisions had showed signs of getting unman-
ageable. Applications pour in by thousands The
League organs are beginning to claim this as the
result of their new policy Being unable to prevent
tenants from resorting to the Court, they now en-
courage litigation with the view OF creating
complete block The truth is the farmers are
acting for themselves, having understood from
Justice O'Hagan's opening address that the
Court was to be tenants Court. at present
appearances the Court will be called on to readJust
the whole rental of Ireland. The Standard remarks
that if the pacfcation of Ireland is attained even
Mt this expense it is devoutly to be desired. This
weeks evidence indicates that the suppression Of the
League was effectual. The withdrawal Of the
League solicitor from all cases in the Land Court
hes shattered the tenants confidence. The out
RACES now occurring regarded as the natural
result of irritation and vndictiveness rather than
as evidence of an effort on the part of the League
10 prolong its power by continuing intimidation.
THE ENGLISH LAND MOVEMENT
The movement for English land reform il deGc-
ient thus far as a movement in conspicuous leader
ship and well-defined purpose. Nobody supposes
that the programme of the Farmers Alliance will
be taken up by either political party. Lord Harting
ton. speaking last night, extinguished the hopes
foolisby expressed in some quarters, that he might
mt himself at the head OF an English agitation
based Oh the principles Of the Irish Land act.
He considered that the present distress of the Eng
sh farmors is due to the weather rather than TO the
landlords, but he repeated his former declaration
that the farmer is entitled to relief by legislation
from the present system far as it is artificial and
unsound, declaring that he favored legislative
secu1ity for the tenants capital labor and
resulting improvements but that he was
opposed to the notion that the tenant was entitled
in consequence to improvements effected under
coproprietary right in the soil. He urged that
the bad times lie fought through by the cooperation
of all classes interested in agriculture. Elsewhere
If has been remarked that the English landlords
are voluntarily making the tenants n reduc-
ton equal to the amount that viii probably be
enforced on the Irish. SIR. FawceH's disapproval
of the English agrarian aims which preceded
Lord Hartingtons discourages the Ceilings school of
Radicals even more.
RECENT PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS.
The political tournament which occupied the
country's attention during the week past has prac-
tically ended, the Conservatives, on the whole de-
riying no solid advantage from the attacks which
Lord Salisbury, Sir Stafford Northeote and numar-
GUS others made on the Government. Oratorically,
the Conservatives were hopelessly overmatched.
The replies OF Mr. Gladstone. Mr.. Chamberlain Mr.
Fawcett- and Lord HARRINGTON. and Sir William