The sun., 1882-01-08
The Land Question in Scotland.

During tho last six months an active agi-
tation for a readjustment OF tho relations
belwecn landlords AMI tenants has been
going on IN Scotland. II broke out in Aber-
decnshlrc, but was soon communicated to
other parts 0: the country, and there is now
n general demand on the part of Scotch
farmers for legal settlement Of rents on the
lines oi tho Irish Land act. Inasmuch, too,
rs the tenants greatly outnulnbcr the land
lord, at the polls, and constitute, in fact, the
bulk of the Liberal party in Scotland. there
is little doubt that their demands will re-
ceye attention at tho hands OF the GLAD
STONE Ministry.
The situation OF the Scotch crOfter or
farmer Is undoubtedly much better than
that of the Irish pea SAINT. Still, in his opin-
ion, it is bad enough, and amply Ju5iiiies
his call for Legislative remedies. As rule,
he holds under lease which, in the case OF
tenancics covering more than Il few acres,
is usually for nineteen years. At the end OF
that term the rent Is almost Invariably
raised By the landlord, and to such an OK
tent that tho price of arabic land in Scot-
land ha, been doubled, trcblaI. ana even
qIadruplcd within the last forty years.
Now the tenants aver that from much the
larger portion Of this increment in value,
the landlord has no claim whatever to
derive profit. IN tn. northern part OF Scot
land, particularly u great outlay Of capital
and labor In the shape Of dy kos, drains, ma
nurc, farm buildings, AMI machinery is re-
quirci in uri'r T. s,cHre a sDOI crop even
from the most Fertile lauis, willie the light
er or more rocky soils need an expenditure
which can rarely be repaid w;thiu = genera
tion. In those eases t.hero permaaeut iui-
proyement5 lave been mad 1T the cost OF the
landowner tho tenants arcnut unwilling that
these should b. taken into account when
their rents are rcaiiusted on the expiration
of their leases. Hut their main grievance is
that the additions to the rental arc out OF
all proportion II tho sums Invested by the
landowners, aud that the pl ltiHeSi rul.5 of
equity are often violated by iandl ,rdi WLo
have never expended u lonny in i'm
pruvcIIentS, Int make the tenants pay
in TN enlarged rent fur an Increased value,
all OF which is due 10 their oEn mon y and
exertions. Colnuiaiats on tnl7 score woutl
have been dispJs 4 Of two ~ throa years
ago by the cynical r'ply that uamts should
have known what they wero about when
they took Ilieir lep-cs, and that if they
choec to put more money in tn land than
they coulA reasonably expect - -. out in q
fxcl tiiae, they hal oIiy themselves Ia
blaine. But the IRISH Land act OF $751; al
though its practcal workings ia Ireland
have by 40 means satisfied its trainers, has
at least established the rrinc,pl" that Par
lament will interfere tu protect one party
to contract. wl,ru improvements effected
at his co=t t-ila.l Uug AAau9tcl a. the cN-
| piratiun II lease.
Thoro i ar"h-r sro1-i "a which Scotch
! far,nc-s dcuounca tho present rentals "a
signally unjust, aHd invoke IT," Intervention
| of the national Legislature. Much OF the
! present vllu'"l l''"i IN the r"r'heru hal!
J Of Great Br.,aiu Is dn". not 10 improve
mcuts made by landlord or by tenant, but
| To general CAUSES with which uei,h parts
| can be credited. II ho- aIis"n trua tie col
lec,ive growth ot the population, AMI es
pee.ally from tho rapid expansion Of tn,
manufacturing clciIrut. There are rcla
lively moro mouths To- feed, and, on th'
/ other side. fewer hands to till the soil