New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-02
THE LAND JUDGES.
AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH Mr.. GLAD.
STONE PROPOSES TO MAKE THEM
TENANT JUDGES.
London, August ~.

Home Rule bill last FEBRUARY, the HOUSE Vi Iom-'
mons has, for an hour or two last week and this,
been permitted by Mr.. Gladstone, and by his ana
its masters the Irish NatonsIists, TO discuss tho
Irish Land question. The land is the root OF the
whole matter" tine vital centre OF the Irish con-
troyerscr as Mr. BalfOur called il, and as every.
body vino knows anything about the land knows
il 10 he. Yet when Mr.. Gladstone brought in hts
bill he forgot o mention it, and only upon being
questioned by Sir Edward Clarke informed the
House that il was to be reserved for three years.
then handed over TO the Irish Legislature When
asked whether he meant to deal with the quee
ton during this reserved perio1 OF three yearA
lie refused 70 say. lie refused also TO allow the
House To debate the matter: this provision, like
more than threc-tourt:.s OF the whole bill, was
closurei. and the House reduced 70 silence IL
was only upon the report stage, the last stage bus
one that the subject could be so much ~ 70
ferred to. and even now it comes up not direcs'
IL, but indirectly; not upon the main issue, bus
upon side issue: not upon the provision IN the
bill hut upon a new clause moved by Mr.. Car
son. The Land Act OF Issl-Mr. Gladstone
Act-and the Land Purchase Act Of 1853. have
Tins far been administered by Commissioners ap.
pointed by the Crown. .i1er the present Homo
Rule scheme they would be appointed by tho
Irish Executive Mr.. Carsons clause was an at
temDt 10 provide that in the future as in the past
they should continue to DO appointed by Imperial
authority Upon that issue il became possible for
members Of the House, hitherto. gagged, to say
something about land.
This single point i, sufficient to indicate the
ma gnitude Of the interests involved, and the true
nature Of those peculiar methods Of Parlia-
mcntary nagement adopted by the Govern.
ment," by which these interests have been with.
drawn from the consideration Of the House OF
Commons. II il WORTH noting that the Irish
tried TO prevent the raising of this single point
Mr.. Sexton asked the Speaker TO rule 1t out
of ORDER but the Speaker took the opposite
view, and the debate proceeded On this, as on
the other vital matters now put in issue ana IN
peril, the Irish motto and the Gladstonian mo"o
il. Least said soonest mendcd." Never IN rar-
lament Try history have the policy and practlce
of concealment and surprise been carried 10 sucn
lengths as on Home Rule.
The present is. as Mr. Chamberlain SAID,
very simple question: but, simple a. u rs IL
may bear explaining in America, where Home
Rule seems TO he. TO som" extent, an artlcle
Of faith rather than of knowledge When Mr..
Gladstone resolved, in his own phrase Z" reiesate
the law. of political economy concerning Irish
land TO the planet Saturn. he naturally had 10
put something in their place. How much rent
a man should nav the owner Of the land Tor the
use Of the land was a question that used To %
determined by what political economists some
times call the higgling of the market, and somo'
fines supplv and demand Throughout mo
greater part OF the civilized world that law sun
holds good II even holds good in Ireland, Win
reference to other commodities than land' bue
in 1851 Mr.. Gladstone resolved that tile cus'o"
NJ the civilized and commercial world was no
longer good enough for his pet island lie an
roqatcd II. and he made law that, in future. the
amount Of rent payable by tenant to iano-
lord should not be fixed by agreement between
the landlord and tenant, but should he settled
by statute That i. TO say. he erected statu'ory
Land Courts in ireland. whose duty IT should
be. when called upon. 70 say how mucii rene
the tenant should pay. lie went much furfher
than that. Thinking political necessity" moro
sacred thing than the obligation Of contracts
mr. the property itself H. provided machinery ny
which tho holior of land. for agricultural pnr'
poses might bring his landlord INTO court ana '"r0
reanire him to prove that the ren' u" was "
eoiripo was not an excessive and unjust rent.
The whole subject matter, once settled between
lessor and lassAe thrown into hotchpo''"'
Tho commissioners and Assistant commissioners
who preside over these tribunals We're empow'
cred to break existing agreements. 10 redu'" INC
+. M. and to compel the landlord TO accept tof
legally entitled To. and less th'n his tenant """
freely covenant'd TO ply him.
am not concerned TO argue that this was
had lazy mr. flat the rent was not sometimes an
,c..iv. mr. what is called rackrent meaning
hr r,ckr.nt the full yearly value oil the lana.
sell; loss il il necessary 70 allege that the landlord
uos aIwavs a GOOD and liberal landlord FOR mo
nurroscs Of Mr. Carsons amendment, II may "e
o6mittad that the ] and Act Of 1881 was g"o"
,o, and that Irish landlords are bad landiorus' or
,hat sor,e of them are But II rs OBVIOUS "'"' '''
rights and interests OF the landlords 40 lar do '"ey
ar. concerned with rent, are eh'ireN' VI Wy
largely a. those of the tenants are III '''e "a".
If the officials who preside over Tue "'''"'''
nosse.sing these vast powers Inc o'"eia'' "'"
r.1Io1 commissioners They are really Judges,
and tho tribunals ara really Land courts Na''
,L., what Won like, these Commissioners W
Ind,os n ,cht 10 be fair apd impartial men. ines
or obt not to he, any more than ONE. JUS
n,oudiced in favor OF one SIDE OF tue "'
They onght to be appointed IN such way &c
insure their being impartial. l'ithet'o '".s
h..r They have been appointed by the Nrcm".
=, ',hor words. by the Imperial Executive ihss
Is an authority which may he tris''"' II any
.hor;,v can he tfsted to hoil th" balance e''.'
I % do iustice rs between landloi ana ten""''
Eu, i, is proposed by the ilom~h", %''
,,l,. away this appointing power ron '"e I'M
,i,, Executive and confer il upon TIE '',r y.
ut;,e Who are the Irish Executive i"'' 80
a. ~, ,,snonsible 10 and dependent upon '"e
7 .o;s,atum. What is the Irish lesis'"'
hoIv which will be elected by the ""'n, ms
whose members will BE- delegates OF the 'e"r"'' :.
representatives Of the tenants Interests 90,
Legislature which is to he the Land ieas.e ,.fv
again, and League no longer orsan'1eu '" That
,h. law. but wirh the authority OF law
i. the body which appoints-reaily' n"' ~.
maIly,-,he Irish Executive, which appo". "o,,ls.
,amI Iudyes In other words, for the Se''v
ment of controversies between LANDLORDS ,hs
,an.r,s the iudges are TO he appointed oy u"