New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-03
HOME RULE FOB SCOTLAND.
THE CASE OF THE CRoFrERs STATED.
DIR. CLARK URGES THE NEED OF REMEDIAL LEo1s-
LAuoN-GRowTH OF RADICAL IDEAS IN THE
iBr CABLE TO THE TRBUSE.1

NORTH.
lBr CABLE TO THE TRBUSE1
Copyright; 1885, North american cable Teps Co.
LONDON, Sept 2.-THE TRIBUNE's represent
ative had an interview o-day with DIR. g. b. Clark
Member Of Parliament for Carthnesshre concerning
grievances Of the Scotch croiters and cottars and the
remedial legislation they DESIRE d. Clark author
OF the Amendment to the Address reply to the Speech
from the Throne In behalf Of the crofers which was
defeated as night He is the Parnen OF Scotland,
arden. advocate OF land naturalization and Scottish
Home Rnle. and devoted champion Of the.crofters.
"To understand the OF the present deplorable
condition of the crofters." Dr. Clark, must go
back the beginning Of the century, when the
in the price OF wool caused landlords to eyct
their crofters and turn their holdings into sheep
The evcted eroters settled down on barren tracts near
the seasbore and after awhile some OF them emgrated
some became fishermen, and starved. Sheep
paid at 1rst but ultimately turned out economic blum
ders Grass has been largely replaced by heather,
that farms which could carry ten thousand sheep will
not now sustain more than FIVE six thousand Mucn
of the land reclaimed by the labor of the croer has
relapsed into its original wild condition The deerorest
mania broke out twenty years and the croter had
to give way to the large sheep farmer the sheep farmers
in turn had &c make way for the sportsman Men have
had TO make way for sheep ana sheep for deer These
deer forests embrace immense areas. That OF the
American. Mr.. winans contains between 800 and $50
square miles Besides the deer they support only few
grazing land and sometimes arabic land Il common
property OF the Inhabitants Except In few isolated
instances all such land is held by individuals The
condition OF the croiters has been rendered still worse
within the last four five years by the keen competition
OF favored lands which has led great fall IN the
price of agricultural and other produce.
AT present the crofters attempting the imposs
bility the land that is neither sufficient in
quantity nor In quality to give them living There
cOngesed districts where croers have had TO
take refuge after being driven from the homes OF their
fathers The members representing crOfter communities
not opposed to emigration nor are the Highanders
themselves but do claim, willis man holds some
three square miles and other large tracts
unoccupsd that those who desire to remain should
be given chance to reclaim waste land ia their
country instead OF being compelled TO reclaim waste
lands the Fifty years ago Argyllshire
tanned q population Of 100,000 now 1t has only
about $4,000. The island of TREE thirty years ago had
population OF 1000, it has now only 300. The case
of TREE is typical Thirtynve per cent of the
rental paid paid by three 81 per cent by twelve
and the balance by $50 crofter families while 800
families have no land at ALL
"Dr Buchanan testified before the Royal Commission
that the children in these families degeneratng
because OF lack OF proper and sufficient nourshment
especially Of milk The last Parliament passed q
Croter Act TO give security Of tenure to croers and
to prevent them being evicted from their holdings
commission was appointed TO revise rents and give
compensation for improvements The commission also
empowered increase in the size Of the crofters
holdings the position Of the landlords
but the hold their land under leases the
commission has authority. can the land already
leased he taken to incroasethe holdings so that prac
cay the act s OF value far the great bulk Of
the crofters is concerned
There two classes OF crofters: first the class
which pays from ten to thirty pounds year. Most OF
these easehoders and therefore cannot be benefited
PRIOR passage Of the pain of eviction Even
Lord LOvat is trying to Compel his Carthness
crofers take leases estate which royal
pronounced rack rented But the crofters upon
II leasehoders and profit nothing by the Crofter
Act The second class OF croers are those with very
small holdings paying an average rental OF twenty live
shillnga What these latter want more land, but they
can't get 1t under the act because all the large fans
and deer forests leased and can't be touched We
want the act amended to give lcaseholders It's
benefits and empower the commission to take any and
whether under lease not which they consider suitable
enlarge 1.-The crOfters holdings. We also want come
made the cOtters landleSs Inere
is no doubt that spirit of lawessuess exists among the
Hghlanders and unless something be done TO better
their con ton few more gunbOas ana regiments nay
needed to tbem IL Is also quite pOsslDe tnst
II there be many legal outrdges hey NAV be mot
by illegal outrages. Untll the agitation has been
carried on In constitutional manner.
Dr. Clark has been chairman OF the Highland REFORM
Association since Its organization. Radical IDEAS nave
annual conference TO De held sone time this MONTH
which will aten ied by delegates from all over scot
land the constitution will lie so changed as 10 make tue
aim the association the restoration OF the lana 10 the
people, Instead or merely securlngI uuiaDle lenuies
fair rents,.e ,
AS an instance OF the growth or the Home Rule idea n
Scotland Dr. Caik stated that whereas III the general
election held last he stood almost a0ne I'D adVOca
every Scotch Liberal candidate had something TO say
in fay it.