Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-04-17
ENGLISH AFFAIRS.
Debate on the Irish Land
Bill.
GLADSTONE VS.. CHAMBERLAIN.
The Question of Buying Out the
Landlords of ireland Meets
with Opposition.

| lSpecfdlto The Herald 0g the Assoctdted ffess' !
LONDON, April i6.--Gladstone pro-
pounded his Irish land bill to the House
Of Commons this evening. There was
hardly any excitement attending the
event compared with the enthusiasm
which attended the memorable proceed
ings Of yesterday week, when the Home
Rule measure was proposed. At four
o'clock the House was crowded to its ut
most capacity. Mr.. Gladstone rose in
his place at 5:25 P. NJ. and was greeted
with cheers when he began to speak.
He said the aim Of the present endeavors
of the government was directed towards
securing contentment among the people
OF Ireland and the permanent restora-
ton Of social order.
At the outset the speaker wished to
make an emphatic denial that it was bis
intention to ask the Scotch and English
to run any pecuniary risk on account OF
the landlords of Ireland. The history Of
| Ireland was one long indictment against
Its land owners. Agrarian crime had
originated and increased under the alb
senteeism of landlords, and the raising Of
rents as their expenses while away from
ireland increased. Oppression welded
| to misery had hideous progeny. Crime
had been endowed with the vitality to
perpetuate itself and hand down its mis-
cradle inheritance from generation to
generation. England was not clear OF
responsibility, for the deeds of Irish land
lords were English deeds. With the
power in our hands we have looked on
and done nothing.
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 leg
islature in Ireland to appoint statu-
tory authority to deal with the landed
estates and to act between the vender
and purchaser. The purchases would
be made through the issue of ESQ, 00O.-
900 OF three per cent stock issued at par
These new Irish consols might, with
the consent OF the treasury, be committed
for stock of lower denomination. II the
stock could be issued forthwith script Of
equal value would be issued tor the
same purpose. The act was to give
the landlords the option to sell
out under the terms. Its actions
were confined to agricultural holdings
and did not include manors having
demesne and woods. The State author
tiles. acting between the peasant and
land owner, would purchase the land
from the latter and put the peasant in
possession as absolute proprietor, sub.
lect to an annual rent charge until the
total payments equalled the purchase
money. The speaker believed that by
appointing a receiver for general rents,
armed with sufficient authority to col
lect them, but without coming into con-
tact with the new proprietary, the re-
payment of the purchase money would
be amply secured. The charge upon
the Irish exchequer would be $4,000, 900
per annum, to meet which it would be
able to levy for rents amounting to e..
SOC, 900 per annum, and this sum would
be the first charge on rents and taxes
raised by the Irish government.
Mr.. Gladstone spoke an hour and
thirty five minutes and concluded amid
great applause. Mr.. Gladstone's pro-
posals do not imply new issue Of
fls0, 000, 600 pounds in three per cents
but Of only ESQ, 600, 900 from ESQ, 000.-
900 in new threes actually authorized.
cHAMBERLAIS's REPLY.
Following Gladstone Mr. Chamberlain
read a letter which he sent to Mr..
Gladstone rendering his resignation as a
member Of the Cabinet. In the letter
Mr.. Chamberlain stated that Mr..
Gladstone's policy would throw heavy
burden on Great Britain, entailing an en-
ormous addition to the national debt
and probably an immediate increase of
taxation not to secure the union of the
kingdom, but to purchase separation.
Mr.. Chamberlain then went on to say
that the land proposals, although they
had been modified since he had left the
Cabinet, would still impose great bur-
den on Great Britain witout sufficient
security for loans advanced. The bill
was calculated not so much to benefit
tenants as q sop for the landlords.
Although only ESQ. 000.0 600 was to be
issued option to sell was offered to
land owners holding land valued at
ESQ, 900, 600 Surprising that full the
number of options to sell should
be accepted how would all of
the money be provided He opposed the
bill on principle because it specially pro-
tected the landlords. If the Irish Par
lament was to be entrusted with the
protection Of the commercial classes
land the maintenance Of the social order,
why could it not be trusted to protect
landlords? The Government was thrust
ing on ireland burden which no Irish
member could declare to be fair price
to give for landlords rights. Cheers
The Irish people would regard the bar
gain as one imposed by foreign coun-
try and would be justified in taking the
first opportunity to repudiate it. II
the bargain should be repudiated how
would it be enforced? The Government
could not disregard the risk to British
taxpayers. Under the increasing depres-
sion in trade hundreds of thousands Of
workers in England would probably be
thrown out Of employment. While re.
fusing to assist deserving crofters in
Scotland, and postponing the claims of
the English laborer, could the govern
ment consistently grant large sums for
the benefit Of the Irish peasantryg
(Cheers). In conclusion Mr.. Chamber
lain said he was not an irreconcilable
| opponent Of Mr.. Gladstone's policy. If
| land proposals should be sufficiently
modified he would be happy to
be relieved Of the duty of oontinu-
ing his present attitude of opposition.
| The present contribution of Irish tax
payers to England was &c, 9S0,00 Of
which England paid back in the Irish
civil service and In service of collection
"a. 4S0. 600. The residue, which seemed
to represent an imperial contribution for
the army and navy, national debt and
imperial civil charges, was f2,0S5, 600.
What did Eogland do with it, As an
instance she sent an army of $4,000
men to ireland and kept them there at
an annual cost of $4,000, 900. f9l5,0O0
more than the balance mentioned. That
was specimen Of the economy of the
system the speaker wanted to root up.
Mr.. Gladstone commended the scheme
to strict. Jealous, careful and unbiased
examination Of Englishmen. He was
convinced it would be recognized as a
fitting part Of the great suspicious
effort to sustain the plans Of the British
Legislature for the welfare Of what had
long been, and the speaker hoped would
ever be. under circumstances far hap
pier than heretofore, an integral part of
Her Maiestys domain. The State
would not force small occupiers to be-
come proprietors in districts where the
population was congeated. The State
would have the power to decide whether
appropriation Of too crowded land should
be compulsory Nobody except imme-
date landlords would have the option to