New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-20
TIE LATEST LAND BILL.

The Irish Land BILL with which the British
Government is having somewhat more than
the proverbial peck of trouble, is the fifth I'M
portant measure of the kind In modern times,
though perhaps as many more minor and sup
Elementary acts have been placed upon the
statute books 1t was in 1850 that John Bright
declared the Irish question to be a land ques-
ton, and he spoke truly; but not until ten
years later did the Government act upon the
suggestion thus made and give the "most dis
tressful country" It's first Land act. That was
Mr. CardwelIs Landlord and Tenant act' of
1860, the object of which was to base the re-
latons between landlord and tenant upon
specific contract, instead of. as before, upon
tenure and custom. It's principal effect was
to deprive the tenant of all claim for compen-
sation for improvements made without the
landlords express consent, and 1t soon was de-
nounced all around as impractcable and I'M
lust In response to the demand for something
better therefore, Mr. Gladstone in 1870 intro
duced his first Land bill, which Mr. FrOude
pronounced 1.-The best measure passed for Ire
land for 300 years" 1t gave tenants new rights
to compensation for disturbance and for i'm
provements and new facilities for purchase by
borrowing two-thirds of the purchase money
from the Government. In eleven years. how
ever. only SO tenants became freeholdcrs;
there was no protection to tenants against arbi-
trary increase of rent, and the law was deemed
practical failure.
Acting upon the recommendations Of the
Bcssborough Commission. therefore, Mr.. Glad
stone in 1881 brought in his second Land bill.
1t established the Land Court, an Independent
tribunal which should stand between landlord
md no IN W
fair rent, nxity Of tenure, and freedom of sale
| This law did much good. But 1t utterly failed
I to create ii peasant proprietary, only 733 ten
ants becoming freeholders in four years More
over it seriously disturbed land values, and a
| general demand arose for a change. The Gov
ernment-then Conservative replied with the
! Ashbourne act which Is not commonly rcck-
oncd Land act. yet is perhaps the most sue
cessfu and benehcent Of them all. 1t dealt
with the question of purchase, and made the
terms on which public funds could be borrowed
much more generous than ever before. The
next real Land bill was Earl Cadogan's. In
1887 also n Conservative measure. which vast
| ly extended the bcneiiccnt provisions Of the
law Of 1881 and added some new ones. such as
| those giving the county courts power to release
tenants from their debts, including rent; to
and releasing from taxation landlords who
| could not collect their rents and enabling them
| to transform delinquent tenants into carctak-
| crs without eviction. This practically com
pleted Irish land legislation down to the pres
| ent time.
Mr.. Gerald Balfour's bill, now under consid-
Grafton and In some distress is very long and
elaborate measure. Its chief aim is to induce
| md tsu In Income frppholIprS
1t further facilitates purchase by extending the
term of payment of borrowed money TO sew
enty years. and by abolishing Il vast number
| of technical barriers between tenancy and pro-
pretorship. II enables the owner of n lightly
mortgaged estate to sell his equity in it to his
tenants, partly for cash and partly for rent
charge For those who remain tenants I'M
portant concessions are made The tenancy
remains valid when subct without the land
lords consent 50 long as he did Hot actually
| dissent \ tenant is enabled To redeem his
holding in any ease by payment Of two years
arrears all other arrears being RENTED tn or
! binary legal process for collection. Some of
/ these latter clauses have just been withdrawn
by III" Government and in fact the whole
measure Is now in somewhat chaotic state.
The Radicals and the Gladstonian remnant can
find no ground for serious attack upon the main
principles of the bill But they are wagng Il
harassng guerilla warfare against it with con
siderable effect, and have succeeded In stirring
10 some OF the Conservative landlords against
! IT, The latter fact is the chief present source,
T ~ trouble The Government wants 10 drop
some clauses to placatc the landlords. and the
Radicals and Irish threaten persistent obstruc-
tion If ii does So. If, however, the bill Is left
IA, l,i ~ -hu
with Little Irish opposition. Mr.. Dillon. for
the antParnellites, regards 1t coldly, but IL