The sun., 1890-02-21
Agrarian Reform in Scotland.

It will be remembered that an early out
come of the relief afforded to Irish tenants
by the GLADSTONE Land act OF 1881 was
demand for like interposition on behalf OF
the Highland crofters. Parliament received
convincing evidence that in such Highland
counties as Caithness. Inverness. Suther-
land, Orkney. Ross and Cromarty there
were examples Of spoliation and rackrenttng
quite as scandalous as those which had been
exposed in Ireland. In view OF the recent
Irish precedent, the demand could not be
refused, and Commission was appointed
for the purpose OF investigating and redress
ing the grievances OF the poorest tenants.
those, namely, who are not leaseholders, but
who hold land merely from year to year 1t
is lately published report OF the proceed
ings OF the Crofter Commission to which we
would invite attention.
One word Of preface to remind the reader
of the causes to which the present suffering
of the HRhlanders is due. Up to the date
OF the battle OF Culloden Q745) the territory
occupied by Highland clan belonged not
to the chief, but to all tho members Of the
clan in common. The relation Of q chief to
his clansmen was paternal: indeed, the
But after the collapse OF the rebellion OF
CHARLES EDWARD the British Government
encouraged the chiefs to transform them
selves into exclusive owners OF the clan
lands and with the help OF the lawyers tho
process was gradually carried out. Then
for the first time one began to hear the
statement that has since become 80 current
namely. that all the misery Of the High
landers Is attributable to Overpop-
ulation, for which emigration is the
only remedy. The clansmen have en-
iRrated by scores of thousands, and
the present population OF the elk counties
above mentioned is very much less than 1t
was hundred years ago. yet the misery Is
incalculably greater. The real cause OF
Highland suffering is not disproportion OF
cultivable land to population, but the fact
that the people have been evicted from the
fertile portions Of the country and forced to
herd in wretched shantes along the coast In
order that the land may be converted into
sheep farms and deer forests. Not satisfied,
moreover, with driving their clansmen from
the mountains to the sea. the chiefs. trans
formed into great mobiles. swell their incomes
by levying exorbitant rents upon the novels
are allowed to occupy Itwas this final form
Of spoliation that the Commission was di.
rected to look into and check.
The number Of specimen holdings exam
| ined by the Commissioners In the five coun-
ties above named was 21s5, comprising In
the aggregate 1875 acres Of arabic land.
besides waste land at present unfit for culti-
walton. The aggregate rent exacted by the
landowners from these holdings was about
100000 but the Commissioners decided that
a fair rent would not much exceed $4,000.
The amount OF arrears which had accumu-
lated against these tenants through sheer
inability to got tho rents out OF tho ground
was upward Of 100000. At ono stroke the
Commissioners cut this down to about go.
900. When we bear In mind that the Scotch
landlords wero strongly represented en- the
Commission. and that every deCision was
the outcome Of protracted dispute and
final compromise. 1t 10 easy TO infer oi
what oppression the OroIbors bad bsoA
tho victims. To cite Only . single
example: the rentals % enc eStStS 4