Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-25
TORY PROPOSALS.
Balfour Presents a Measure
for Irish Relief.
EXTENSIVE LAND PURCHASE PLAN.

Birth Credit To BE Used. but the Brit
ish Tax Payers Not Called Cpon-Giad-
stone Thinks IL a Big Contract-ksiser
wilhelm Unbarsiens His Mind and
Saw. LET Her Go 6allagher''-News
Notes from Europe
LONDON. March 25-The government bill
for the purchase Of land in ireland was in
PRODUCED in the commons last evening by
Balfour, who, in explanation OF the meas
ure, said that its purpose was 20 inIprOvethe
poorer and most congested districts He de-
clared that universal agreement was
necessity in order to increase the num-
Der Of occupying owners in Ireland. aud ar
gued the practicability by reason that land
was cheaper m ireland than in England
he condemned the policy Of excluding land
lords from rural social life, taking the
ground that in England the landlords con-
tributei to the weli-being Of those who were
not landlords There are now, be said, five
bodies for the valuation and sale OF land
This bill proposes 20 amalgamats them into
one He denied that there Was any war
rant for the suggestion that the introdue-
ton of a land purchase bill was coTnpnis Try,
except through the necessity for such
measure Ii Landlords were compelled to
sell, tenants ought To be made 10 buy. The
government saw no possibility OF instantly
transferring lands from owners 10 occupy
ers
British Credit To BE Used.
Some degree of British credit could be
used to secure landlords against loss, though
| the British taxpayers should have no risk
The bill encouraged the landlord and tenant
| TO bargain as 10 the price Of a holding. II
| they failed to agree the question of price
was referred to the land department, the
officia Is Of which fixing the conditions,
they must be adhered 10. IParrellite laugh
| teri The land department, he said, might
| issue q vestiug order making a tenant the
| owner of holding free from Obligation, ex-
cept per cent per annum on the money
| advanced. This Per cent. he called the
normal annuity, but during the first Eve
| years the bill required the tenant TO pay S
per cent OF the annual rent
An illustration of Its Operation.
| Supposing the rent to be eco. the tenants
| would pay eso. OF which the government
proposes to retain eI2, as the tenants insur-
anee to meet season of special distress. As
| security for purchases, the bin proposes to
take the contributions OF the British ex-
| chequer to local Irish purposes and, as
coroiiary. make the local county authorities
responsible FOR any default. The bill would
| thus establ Sd a guarantee fund consisting
| OF two portions, cash and contingent. The
] cash portion would consist of ga, OsJo yearly
which Ireland has neyeS received, but
| ought TO recelve-as set Of against Eng
land and Scotland's getting the advantage
| OF licensing duties Next there would be a
probate duty grant assigned for the future,
estimated al s210, 600 yearly Next fourth
per cent. on annuities payable by tenants
| The Contingent Fund.
| The contingent portion would consist of
government contributions TO the or law,
education and like purposes Experience
showed that loss than per cent Of the an
nual installmenis remain unpaid Under
the till per cent would have Ia remain un-
paid befor any security vas touched except
the ith per cent reserved from tenants sn.
fuuities. Un'ess there should be repetition
Of the famine Of 1916 the guarantee affect
ing the poor law and educational grants
would never be approached. IL was de-
signei TO use the 4ta per cent from the
tenants annual per cent. for the erection
Of laborer~' dwellings
Dealing with Congested Districts.
A congestei district covering = per cent.
Of county would he made separate county
for the purposes OF the act 4 board Of
eight members. including the chief secretary
for Ireland, delegate OF the land depart
ment and a delegate Of the fishery board
to control the congestei districts grant
Of l. so, 90 from the church surplus would
he devoted 10 relieving the cougested, deyei.
oping fisheries and fostering in iu.tries In
conclusion he said the scheme wss without q
conceivable FISK TO the imperial taxpayer.
| Gladstone suspends Criticism
Gladstone briefly SAID the scheme was to<
complicated for discussion at present II.
thought, however, that thanks were due t.
Bal;our FOR the pains he had taken in tbs
preparation Of the bill The bal then passeC
its first rea iIng.
Under the operation Of motion fol
closure the aiotments bill passed ITS sec
ond rsaiin-