The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1891-05-27
THE IRISH LAND PURCHASE
BILLS PROSPECTS.
Baltimore Sun)

| 1Ao 1ilSl Iauu purchase OIL, the con-
slderatlon of which in committee has
just been concluded, is expected to be
ready for Introduction in the House of
Lords by June 4. Its final passage may,
therefore, be regarded as certain. Events
outside of Parliament have recently been
much in its favor. When the bill was
first introduced Mr.. Gladstone and Mr..
Parnell were close allies. Home rulers
of every class presented solid front,
and all were united and determined in
opposition to measure which promised
| to absorb the sources of revenue reouir-
ed for the Irish Parliament to be set up
at Dublin. Such q measure, if made
law, would be formidable obstacle to
home rule by incrt asing the difficulties
| Mr.. Gladstone would encounter in
financing an Irish government. Mr.
Parneli, it Is true, over a year ago accep-
ted in principle the idea Of purchase
contained III the bill, but be objected to
the details of the bill Of 1890 and opposed
it in Difference to the views of English
home-rulers Since the rupture OF his
alliance With Mr.. Gladstone, Mr.. Par
nell has had free hand, and has used
his liberty to promote the passage Of
Mr.. Balfour's bill on the practical
ground that it reduces the annual cost
to the Irish tenant of his farm by 40 per
cent, and is accordingly a very good
thing for the masses of the Irish people
The English and Scotch radicals and the
anti-Parnellite nationalists have con-
tinued to oppose it to the last On the
general ground that it is a tory measure,
and all tory measures are to be opposed
The opposition has been, however, with
out its former spirit, else it would not
have permitted the pass ige Of bill of
CHS nature IN so brief time. The
English radicals, in fact, were its heart
lest opponents, the McCarthyites being
hampeEed by Mr.. Parnell's praise of It.
: La most countries the land purchase
bill would be considered great boom
to tenants Wishing to purchase their
farms. The bill authorizes the Irish
: land commission to advance to the Ten
ant, at a low rate Of interest, the money
| with which to buy the farm he occupies.
The money is TO be repaid to the com
mission IN annual Instruments, each Of
which will be some 40 per cent. less
,, than the present annual rent. These
: | payments are TO continue in most cases
for forty nine years, at the en- Of which
{ | time. the tenant will own his farm. The
amount of money directly authorized to
be advanced to tenants is $3.50, O0O, 900,
but the amount used may greatly exceed
that sum, iDasmuch as the moneys re-
d paid by tenau s from year to year may
De used again to make further advances
The landlord Will receive the price of
l Ion i'll,
! | will b { good rate Of inter
est aaa " as eoad as cash
The sale and purchase of farms are &c
be vountary-are to result from al
!, agreement reached by landlord and ten
} ant. The price raid will, Of course, tt
: avoid iohbing, be subject to the scrutiny
:. of the land commission, which has full
: powers. The smaIl farmers are to be
; specially favored. That is to say, ten
: ants holding large farms are not to b,
: allowed to absorb all the money. II
: each county the money advanced is t.
: be divided between the small and larg
! farmers IN proportion to their respective
y numbers, farmers paying over $3.50
i year being claSsed as large farmers.
! The general aim Of the bill is politica
" and social to aliay the chronic discon
tent Of the Irish tenants by c0nvertiu
them into proprietors Property hold
ers are, Is q rule, c3nSeI vative. Th
tenant, according to Mr.. Balfour, O
Of b>cam;ng property holder, will ceas
to be an agtAtor, will love order an
thrift, and will Ultimately, perhap;
abandon his demand for home rule. Nj
s Parnell, on the other hand, is Of opr
,e ion that the average Icishman will be q
10 the more 2 nationalist for owning Ii
le ."hu ,io Ai'oo - iiai0 80 -" -
20 is right.