The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-29
IRELAND FOR THE IRISH.
The Main Features of Mr.. Gladstone's
Land Bill.

Following is summary of Mr.. Glad
stones speech in the House of Commons,
explanatory of his land bill:
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
n legislature in Ireland to appoint statutory
authority TO deal with the landed estate,
purchases would be made through the issue
of f1S0, 100000 of three per cent stock issued
at par These new Irish consols might, with
the consent Of the Treasury, be committed
stock could be issued forthwith scrip of equal
value would be issued for the same purpose.
The act was TO give the landlords the option to
sell out under its terms. It's actions were con-
fined TO agricultural holdings, and did not in
clude mansions having demesne and woods.
The state authorities, acting between the peas
ant and landowner, would purchase the land
from the latter and put the peasant in posses
sion as absolute proprietor, subject to an annual
rent charge, until the total payments equaled
the purchase money. The state would not force
the small occupiers to become proprietors. In
districts where the population congested
the state would have the power to decide
whether appropriation of the too crowded land
should be compulsory. Nobody except the i'm
mediate landlords would have the option to sell
to the incumbrancer and then he must sell by
foreclosure, and not at an option for himself
Applications to sell would have TO be made by
all the tenants ON an estate, and all these appli-
cations and sales would be registered.
Applicants would be required to give security
for costs in certain cases. The land commission
would be empowered to refuse applications.
The basis OF prices would depend upon the
rental for fixed period The judicial rental of
1876 would be the standard in all cases wherein
the rent of the land to be sold was then fixed.
In all other cases the land commission would
have the power to arrive at n price by comparing
the other judicial rentals with Grffiths valua-
ton. The land commission would also be al
lowed TO examine the state OF books concerning
estates for ten years back.
Twenty years rental would DO nominal pur-
chase; in exceptional cases twenty-one years
rental would make n purchase. Applications
for sale would not be received aft r March I,
1890 Ten millions of pounds of the stock would
be issued during 1887 f20.OOO,0oO in 1883, and
400 GOO, 900 in 1889.
When the proposals We're first placed before
the speakers colleagues, he proposed TO raise
G130, 900 Immediately. Mr.. Chamberlain
and Mr.. Trevelyan both objected t. this as n
wholesale issue which would depreciate values
The speaker therefore thanked both gentlemen
for having given him occasion to reconsider
that original proposition He now thought it
ask forthwith for anything
like the outside estimate, and believed that by
appointing receiver for the general rents,
armed with sufficient authority to collect them,
but without coming into contact with the new
proprietary, the repayment of the purchase
money would be amply secured. The charge
upon the Irish exchequer would be 60, 100000
per annum, to meet which IL would be able to
levy for rents amounting to 100000 per
annum and this sum would be the first charge
on the rents and taxes raised by the Irish
Government. Adding to this the imperial con-
tripution, the sum paid to England by Ireland
would be f6,242, 600 per annum, secured on n
revenue amounting TO $40 $50, 900, no portion of
which would be applied to any purpose until
$4,000, 900 was paid into the English exchequer.
The present contribution of the Irish taxpay-
ers to England was 96 $50, 900, of which England
paid back in the Irish civil service and in the
service of collections "a $4,000. The residue,
which seemed to represent an imperial contri-
button for army, navy, national debt, and inn
peral civil charges was 50, 0e5. 900. What did
England do with it? AS an instance she mt an
army of $1,000 men to Ireland and Kept them
there Mt an annual cost of s3,0O0,000. $4,000
more than the balance mentioned That was n
specimen Of the economy OF the system the
speaker wanted TO root up.