Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-17
GLADSTONE'S LAND BILL.
1Ts INTRODUCTION NOT ACCOM-
PANIED BY EXCITEMENT.


Hand-1sO, 900 900 Pounds in Per
CENT stock 10 be Issued for Purchase
purposes.
LONDON. April 16.-Premier Gladstone
propounded his Irish land bill IN the
House of Commons this evening. There
was hardly any excitement attending tne
event. at noon but 8 seats on the hoor oI
the House had been "hatted" and these
were nearly all taken by Irish members.
At4o'clock the House was crowded to
its utmost capacity. MIR. Gladstone rose
in his place at 5:20 o'clock ana was greet
cd with cheers when he began TO speak.
His voice was low and husky. He said
the aim of the present endeavOrs OF the
government was directed towards secur-
ing cOntentment among the people OF Ire
land and a permanent restoration Of So
cial order. The speakers proposals would
greatly benefit the tenants of ireland,
but the landlords were the principal OBJ
iect Of the measure, although he thought
that many of those landlords were most
hostile to the governments policy.
THEFIN ANCIAL ASPECTS.
At the outset the speaker wished to
make most emphatic denial that it was
his intention TO ask the Scotch and Eng
lish to run any pecuniary risk on account
of the landlords of Ireland. The history of
ireland was one long Indictment against
its landowners. Agrarian crime had Or
iginated and increased under the alb
senteeism of landlords and raising of rents
as their expenses while away from Ire
land increased. Oppression married to
misery had hldeOus progeny. Crime
had been endowed with vitality to per-
petuate itself and hand down its misera-
bic inheritance from generation to gener-
alton. England was not clear of respOn-
sibilltv for the deeds Of the Irish landlords
were English deeds. "With tine power in
our hands we have looked on and done
nothing"
HOW THE UNION WAS OBTAINED.
After the union absenteeism became
general. National sentiment ceased to
have a beneficial influence on the rela-
tiOns between landlord and tenant. The
union itself was obtained, against the
sense and wish of every class, by whole
sale bribery and unblushing intimidation.
The land act was intended TO go into
effect on the same day on which the home
rule bill would become operative. 1t
could not go on without the operation of
the other, which would provide Legisla-
ture in Ireland to appoint statutory au-
thorIty to deal with landed estates and
act between vendors and purchasers.
Purchase would ne made through the
issue of $50, 000,0 900 Of per cent. stock
issued at par. These low Irish consOls
might, with the consent of the Treasury,
be cOmmuted for stock of lower denomi-
nation. If stock could not be issued
forthwith scrip of equal value would be
Issued for the same purpose.
OPTION OF LANDLORDS.
The act was to give the landlords the
option to sell out under its terms. Its en-
actments were confined to agricultural
holdings and did not include mansions
having demesne and woods estates. The
authorities acting between the peasant
and landowner would purchase land
from the latter and put the peasant in
possession as absolute prOprietOrs, subject
10 an annual rent charge until the total
payments equaled the purchase money.
NOT COMPULSORY.
The state would not force small oc-
s cupiers to become prOprietors in districts
where the population was congested.
& The state would have power to decide
whether appropriation of too crowded
land should be compulsory. Nobody ex-
cept immediate landlords would
nave the option to sell to
Icumbrances, and then he must sell by
foreclosure and not at an option for him
self. Applications to sell would have to
be made by all tenants as an estate,
and all these applications and sales
would be registered. The Land Commits
sion would be empowered to refuse apph-
cations.
THE BASIS OF PRICES.
The basis of prices would depend upon
ne rental for a fixed period. The judicial
rental of lSl5 would De the standard in
all cases wherein the rent OF land TO be
sold was then fixed. In all other cases
ile Land Commission won Id have power to
arrive at the price by comparing other
judicial rentals with the Grifliths' valua-
ton. The Land Commission would
also be allowed TO examine
me state books concerning
estates tor ten years back. Twenty
years rental would be the normal pur-
chase. In exceptional cases twenty
TWO years. rental would make the pur-
glase. Applications for sale would not
De received after March 81. 1890. Ten
iulhOns OF pounds OF stock would be
issued during 1887, E20 000, 900 in 1888,
ana t2OO00,000 in 1889
THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
when the proposals were first placed
OelOre the speakers COLLEAGUES he pro-
Pgsed to raise Gl30 600 900 mediately.
Messrs. Chamberlain and Treyelyan
O9'h objected TO this AS a wholesale issue
nuIc1 would depreciate values. The
O. f'-''i lu'ltlNIt llEAhtN NNth EHNtlGlHth
as having given him occasion TO recon-
ueI mat original proposition. He now
.i9usht u was an error TO ask forthwith
l ahWhing like an outside estimate,
uu believed that by appointing % receiver
general rents, ar iCu with sufficient
uluoflty 10 collect 'h' bat without
omIhg INTO contact with the new pro-
pelaIy repayment OF the purchase
|0uey would be amply secured.
ERIN's SHARE,
Inc charge upon the Irish eXchequer
3llu De 42,00000O per anuum, 90 meet
lIcn " would Doe able to leyy for rents
mp"llouhtng to E2,60O,OO0 per annum, and
.., a.3 sum would De- thc drst charge ON the
,s n.s aud taxes raised by the Irish gov
o,a,u.eht. Adding to this the imperial
4iouton the sum paid 90 England
land would be EG,2i2,0OO per
Gl,n. secured on revenue amounting
n5"O0OO, no portion Of which would
wsfIued tn any purpose until tG,OU0,OOO
Mrr phd int1 the English eXchrquer.
ers present contribution of Irish tax pay
FnW England was E6.gS0C00. Of which
MI iunQ paid back in Irish civil service
nv III lhe service Of collecting E4,S40,0OO.
ent residue which this secured TO repres-
bay,u III imperial contribution for the army,
eSa1I, national debt and Imperial civil
"''Bes was e2,0s5,0OO.
WHERE IT GOES.
uat aid England do with it2 As an
".NdHco. sho capf M, utstuv 81 Ok 0OO mon