The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-06
NEW IRISH LAND BILL.
A summary of Its PrOyIsiOns-HOyv
II Would Work.
From the Baltlmore Sun.


The Irish land bill. just passed by the
House of Commons. at the instance of the
conservative ministry, improves material
~ the position Of the Irish tenant, at the
expense, to some extent, 1t appears, of the
Irish landlord. 1t was passed only after a
severe struggle. in the course of which the
ministry suffered defeat on an important
clause, owing to the opposition Of some Of
the Irish conservatives. 1t was the con-
tention of Ulster members that excessive
concessions We're being made to undeserv-
ing tenants The Parnelltes supported the
bill as being IAN instaliment of justice"
the anti-Parnellites on the ground that
1T improved the existing law" Mr.. Bal
four, the government leader In the House,
urged IN behalf Of IL that it remedied adj
mttted defects in the present law, lessened
the difficulty tenants have in buying farms
and would cut to the roots the agitation
Tor Dublin parliament. 1t is part of the
governments scheme to introduce content
In Ireland by converting tenants into own
ers. As tenant the Irish farmer is a
radical and a revolutionist, but when he
becomes landholder he will become, it is
believed, a conservative and support law
and order. The English radicals, on the
other hand, oppose the measure with some
bitterness, because 1t is not a hone-rule
bill, because 1t utilities only small portion
of their own land bill of 1885, and because,
as they say, 1t Is totally
inadequate solution of the land
question. 1t is Objectionable also because
1t received support of their Irish allies.
The bill facilitates the purchase by ten
ants OF their agricultural holdings and for
bids the levying of rent ulon farm i'm
proVements made by tenants. The gov
eminent advances to the tenant the
means of purchasing the sum advanced
being twenty times the present annual
rent, The amount advanced to the tenant
is TO be repaid in installments extending
over seventy years. This extension of The
time of paying results in reduction in
the amount of the annual instalments
so that the purchasers annual payment
will be less by one-ffth than his present
annual rent. There is a further reduc-
ton of oneltenth during the first ten
years. AT the end of the seventy years
the tenant viii own the farm having
bought 1t with rent payments each much
less than the existing rent. Purchase Is
not, however, to be compulsory on either
the tenant or landlord. The latter will
be paid in Understanding bonds not in
cash. receiving the bonds from the gov
eminent when the sale to the tenant is
completed.
Since purchase is not compulsory there
Will continue to be tenants holding farms
from landlords. AS to these, the existing
term of fifteen years for fixing fair rents
is to continue. The rents fixed under Mr.
Gladstone's first land bill viii be reviewed
at the end of fifteen years and reduced
or increased, at the discretion of the
judges, with the object of preventing
other than fair charges. AS to tenants
whose rent is in arrears, 1t is provided
that II they pay up two years arrears
they will not be subject to ejectment for
arrears, but any balance or arrears shall
be recovered in the ordinary way. Ten
ants who paid their rent TO the mana gers
on the plan of campaign" instead of
10 the landowner, and were evicted in
consequence, win not be relieved from
the public treasury, but the government
wlll use its good Offices to secure their
tn 4bar
held on the best terms possible. In a
former act the Salisbury government pro-
vided means of making certain public
Improvements in the western part of Ire
land, where the population was large and
the land poor, with the object of facili-
tating the fishing industry and other in
duStries by means of improved wharves
roads and light railways. The people
would get employment in constructing
these improvements and profit afterward
by increased industry and trade. To carry