Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-16

posure and brutal treatment. Those who
had the means of fight, or whose friends in
Canada or the States could furnish them the
same, emigrated to America. The remain
der were huddled in vile cabins along the
sea shore, and forced to escape actual star
vation by gathering kelp and mussels.
MANY WORSE oUrRAGEs.
The same kind of Improvement" in
termittently remained in vogue, though on
a lesser scale, under sanction of these old
Scottish land laws up to a very recent date,
in Banff, Elgin, Nairn, Inverness, Caithness,
Ross and Argyll shires and in the Hehrides.
If a landlord wished to transform his great
holdings luto sheepwalks or game preserves,
it was soon bruited about that the district
was "congested." Then crofters were cleared
out entirely, or summarlly removed to
wretched patches of uncultivated land, to
begin anew life of starvation under In
creased penalties of rental-burdens and en-
vironment. Aside from these heartless
cruelties it seems as though the most devillsh
ingenuitles in extortions and humiliations
were also imposed. After the new croft was
improved, at the termination of the usual
19-year lease, additional rental was de-
manded. If not paid the croft was rack
rented, or leased to q new tenant.
If he entered the presence of the factor or
agent with his hat on, his hands in his
pockets, or left the door open, he was fined.
The rent of every tenant on an estate has
been raised because the first tenant
calling with his money was few moments
late. Sons, on attaining their majority,
could only remain upon the estate on the
written consent OF the proprietor. Crofters
we're liable to persecution for using any
road or footpath not prescribed by the pro-
prietor. An entire page of this paper
might be filled with a truthful recount of
similar tyrannies and grievances. But or
ganized agitation In behalf OF the crofter,
similar to that adopted by the Land League
for Ireland, at last secured the concession
of Royal Commission of Inquiry into the
condition of the Highlands.
A MOVE FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Although, from the fear of reprisals by
landlords and factors, not one-half the
wrongs of these people were made known,
condition OF things was brought to light
which shocked the country. 1t must also be
borne in mind that the constitution of that
commission was essentially conservative.
But these disclosures had salutary effect.
In 1856 Parliament passed what is popu
fixes, by royal commission whose members
travel from point to point receiving evil
dence and making adiudications, what are
called "fair rents, to which both proprietor
and crofter tenant are bound, in all cases of
crofterS paying an annual rental of G30 or
less. The commission also has power to
deal with arrears.
The terrible odds against which these
helpless people for more than a century
fought for mere existence is clearly SHOWN
by the outcome OF the annual proceedings
of this Crofters' Commission. In July of
the present year on the estate of Keiss, near
Wick, the crofters secured an average re-
duction of 81 per cent; while 76 per cent of
their arrears were cancelled. In the Island
OF Stroma, lying in the Pentland Firth,
opposite John O. Groat's house, the same
reduction and cancellation were made. On
one estate in Caithness rent reductions have
been as great as so per cent, while 80 per cent
OF arrears have been cancelled. On an average
"Iair rents" have been established at a re-
duction of 40 per cent.
HELP HAS COME TOO LATE.
Under the crofter's act, Poor Donald"
is to-day pretty nearly free man. Under
the old conditions he could never paw his
rent. "It was not expected he would" a
factor confded to me. "He was more man
ageable when you could hint of notice and
removal" In other words, landlords, while
certainly rapacious for the last farthing that
could be punched out OF the crofter, in cold
blood actually calculated upon certain
percentage of arrears piling up against the
terrified crofter. so that all slavish COM
mands were quickly assented to and addi-
tional burdens were imposed without pro-
test. Outrages under this form of duress
were countless.
But under the crofter's act the crofter is |
absolutely independent of proprietor or
factor, as long as ne pays the "fair rent"
fixed by the commission. He may vote as
he pleases, pay his rent with his hat on, his
children may remain at heme, or even
marry, without the proprietor's written con-
sent, and, marvel of land-law progressi he
may worship at the Established, the Free,
or at a Catholic church, without the
ofa bigot master overtaking him.
All this, in degree, is hopeful and good.
But fear help has come to the crofters too
late. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN,