The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-03
TO BUY PLOTS OF LAND.
Chaplin's Bill to Aid English Peas
ants viii Likely Become
Law.
About the Only Government
Measure That Stands Show
of Adoption.
Details of tho Working of the Bill-Big
transactions That May Occur
Under 1t.

| transactions That May Occur
Under 1t.
| LONDON, Feb. l2.--Mr. Chaplin's agri.
cultural holdings bill has u very good
chance Of being passed this session and it
| ID the only government measure of which
the snme can be said. Ii proposes nothing
to which tho liberals object. Tho only OBJ
lection yet made against it is it's defect in
not giving the local authority compulsory
power Of land purchase for the purposes of
the bill, and the only protracted discussion
which it is likely to cause may arise from
tho desire of the radicals to enlarge its
scope. The radicals are, of course, deter
mined not to allow the conservatives to
pose ns tho best friends of the agricultural
iaborera--the CLASS whose interests the bill
lst chiefly intended to benefit.
This scheme in outline is that n public
works loan commission representing the
state be empowered to lend money at 3i1
per cent to the local authorities who could
4 borrow from the commission or elsewhere
money to acquire land in order to
provide small holdings for persons resi-
dent in the county in which the land is sit
uated. The amount which may be bor-
rowed in any year is not to exceed sum
involving charge upon the rates Of over
one penny in the ronnd. The county coun-
ellis will have authority to acquire land.
Purchasers from them would be required
to pay one-fourth of tho purchase money
down and to leave one-fourth secured by
perpetual tent charge, paying the remain
ing half by installments or terminable an
nuities. The purchaser would have the
/ option Of paying the whole amount off at
at any time. The bill limits the size of
holdings to Il maximum of ten acres. Only
one dwelling house will be permitted on
one holding, and the assent of the author-
ties will be necessary before subletting or
subdiyiding. Finally, the government had
decided against granting the authorities
compulsory powers to acquire land.
l. The annual value of agricultural land in
England and Wales is about $4,000, 600.
Besides land, all other ratable values out
side the limits of cosporate town come
under the jurisdiction Of the county coun-
ellis. but ter the purpose OF calculating
what the bill will effect for the Iaborers il
is better to take the amount mentioned as
basis The sum of 4250,O0O Il year. rep
senting a penny in the pound on ego. Goo
which the county councils throughout Eng
land and Wales would be allowed bv the
| bill to undertake in one year. That sum
would be the interest at three and u half
per cent on total loans amounting to
rs, 100000. With the last named amount
about 100000 acres of land would be pur-
| chasable at present prices in the rural dis
tricts.
Though the bill allows of so large IA hold
ing as u ten-acre plot being acquired under
I -,
acreage will be as much as the most pros
porous laborer could undertake to purchase.
With $50 saved in addition to the price Of
a COW he would be able to make start on
from two to three acres. That is to say,
the bill would enable about 10000 lahorers
having in hand a capital of about 5e25OO,-
| 900 to enter on the cultivation of 100000
acres of land. If it were certain that by
this means 40 600 conservative votes could
be ed i'll perpetuity 1t would be we'll
worth while for Mr.. Chaplin and his COL
| leagues to bestir themselves vigorously SO
as to insure that this maximum possible Of
| feet should be actually produced. But
neither III the house of commons nor in the
county councils will they have the running
all to themselves. The measure is radical
in its origin, ana the members of that
party will take good care to keep that feet
| before the people.
Conservative newspapers comment sa-
verely on the lamentable weakness dis
/ played by Mr.. Bhtour IN consentlng to the
principle Of allowing political meetings to
be held by electors of all parties in all
schooltooma maintained out of the public
rates. At the present time the reotors and
Wears of parishes have tho power of allow
| ing the use OF such rooms to one party and
refusing it to the other. Many parishes
in England elected to dispense with school
boards, but conformed so far with the
terms of the school board act as to enable
the church schools to benefit by par
! ish rates. Prior to that act such
schools were voluntary, and were sup
ported bv private endowneuts and dona-.
tions and by fees from the pupils. Lib
erals object to the retention of arbitrary
powers by the parsons in the altered cir
cumstances. In numerous rural parishes
the parson welcomes tho conservatives to
tho use Of tho schoolroom for political
meetings, but will not allow liberals the
like privilege. 1t frequently happens,
also. that no other room III tho parish can
be obtained. as the united influence of tho
squire and tho rector ia often enough to in-
timidate liberals from openly assisting
their party. 1t is for thinking for ono weak
momeut of abandoning position SO strong
that tho London Times and STANDARD speak
| in tones OF rebuke to MIR. Balfour.s