, 1881-04-09
THE IRISH LAND BILL.

will not 1o 40 very Ga9y uf ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. :;
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IT, THE IRISH LAND BILL
Sir. Gladstone, true to Ills promises, pre-
, sented to the British Parliament his bill for
tho reformation OF land tefures iii ireland.
1t fs essentially a radical measure. It is a
brave blow at abuses which ltavc existed
during centuries, and which have made 1rc-
land q land Of enslaycd paupers, and kept
tho country alternately torn By rebellion or
devastated by famine. 1le Inns stricken Two
blows at ancient preroeatives. The bill
recognizes tho landlortl holding MI entnlleu
estate ns the absolute owner Of the property
during his life, and capable OF making any
disposition OF It In the way Of leases that he
may choose, independent Of the terms Of tic
entail. Another blow. Is In providing tEat
sales and trnnsfeFs may be .latle OF land free
Of tho enormous fees md costs which now
equal ol1e-tl,fTd of the yalne Of tile property
sold. Tbls Is tile furerun1ler of.tlle abolition
Of the wllole, systen Of settlements, entails,
and other restrictions upon the FREQ sales Of
landed property.
The bill further abolisl.es tic principle of
fcuaal proprletorslltp; 1t abotses the pres-
,cnt slavery Of the eottier system. whereby
so-cnfled tenants occupy the soil at the will
of tho owner, aud upon wl1ateyer terms lie
may dictate. Under this bill lenses are not
to be ut the will Of the landlord; their terms
mud conditions. ara established by Inv, anu
tenants'ara prohibited making my waiver OF
statutory privileges. Heretofore nil tho land
laws permitted tenants to accepttcrins which
waived all tile regulations for protection, ul,-
der leases Which thoy wero compelled to ac-
cept or 70 without Ind. Now nll lenses Nre
to run for fifteen years, md during that
term tho, telnnt who phys his rent II
independent Of tho landlord. II he
build Il house or outbuttdlng It Is
part OF his property, which lie cnn sell
with his lense. and tho yalno Of Which TIC can
AeWand Wien Ills Lease expires. Lie cait
!ncrcnso Ills stock, can employ machinery,
Gun improve his cultivation, can provide
proper drainage, car1 double the productive
value Of tho farm, md oil this without hay-
Ing Ills rent Increased III consequence. This
reformation will put al, cnu to tho saunlld
poycrty-strlckcn system of cultivation now
iii use. 1t will lead 10 better hntitatlons
than mud cabins, and 1t will ndl largely to
.cra' comforts Of tho people. It will give to
b9GF4 lGllhIlk u E&knt Uk pFQpEFty uHFItlk ll6
occupancy aud tliat ilxtty Of tenure which IL
now wholly wanting. Tho bill further pro-
yides court OF justice to which every ten
mt nay appeal to cnforce the law, to re-
strain all acts Of injustice and oppression,
and to protect him ln tho rights mud priv
[1eKcs granted him by this Inv. This will
iu a court for the prompt herring OF popular
grievances, without tho delays Of ordinary
litigation, alll clothed With power to enforce
its findings.
Tile Government proposes furt,,or by this
bill to aid persons desiring to recla,n, waste
lands and desiring to purot,aso land, this Md
to be given In tlle form Of cash a,lyauccs 10
tho extent Ut IS nor cent, to be repaid to tho
Government In twenty years. Il also pro-
posos to MD those holding estates to gell tle
sa,ue, ana tinnliy II proposes to aiA those do
sirInE to e,uxrate to British colonies, Tie
bill, in tho way Of Goyerl,n entail aid, Is OK
trcmcly liberal, and this, taken, with Its TO-
forms In the syvtsn, ot lund tenurey, !s n nost
radical MEASURE, requiring a brays u,an con-
,klout Of Ills own strength aru tho Justice OF
reform, to carry 1t ttlruugl. -
This !uads directly to tho l.,qulry. Can Mr..
Gladstone carry Ills bil! through, Purltaupute ?
Evidently tho Minister has not underraicd
tho opposttlou it will. provoke, Thoro ts NJ,
unouust|onab,1 p0iulur hostility a,norg tho