The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-03
RETIREMENT IN IRELAND

A London cable reports that the new
land purchase bill introduced in the
British house of commons is pleasing to
the Irish nationalists. This is surprising,
for it is not on record that any Irish
league or combination Of any kind operat-
Ing in behalf Of Irish rights, has been sat
isfied with any legislation by parliament
designed to benefit Ireland, since the dis
solution (by the bribery operations of
Lord Cornwallis) of the Irish parliament
and the passage of the act Of union.
The history Of Irish discomfort and of
legislation in behalf of Ireland during
the century recently closed, is full of
to the front in the house Of commons and
began his work Of agitation, the English
people and English legislators had no
proper understanding of the Irish people
or their real grievances. They regarded
Ireland as perpetual thorn in England's
side; the Irish people as semisavage and
deserving only of severe repression.
Since the truth began to dawn on
the English mind, both political
parties have sought to heal the
wounds made by past maltreat-
ment and misunderstanding It was
perceived that one fundamental difficulty
was that the Irish were treated as aliens
and excluded from the operations of law
looking to protection and order and we'll
being Of the people of Scotland, England
and Wales. 1t was perceived that an
agricultural community, in condition
nearly approaching absolute serfdom,
could not be otherwise than in state of
minatory discomfort. The agitation of
Parnell, continued by his successors, has
brought about several tentative land acts
providing for the purchase on long time
of land by the tenants that they may be-
come actual proprietors of the soil The
Irish problem is chiefly problem of land
landlords and tenants. But in addition
to betterment in regard to land tenure.
the Irish people have been given the bal
lot and they now elect their county coun-
ellis themselves and have control and
jurisdiction over local taxation and public
under conditions in the municipalities and
the conditions of the tenants in many
localities is changed from suualor and
grinding poverty to comfort, and the fea-
lures Of the national education act have
been extended over the island
The Salisbury government is dealing in
diligently with the land question, aware
that the Irish people yearn to get rid of
the really abominable thing which has
cursed Ireland for ages, viz: sIandlordism.
The chief secretary for Ireland holds that
the policy of imperial unionism can only
be defended on condition that the whole
strength Of the empire is employed as
need arises, for the benefit Of each mem
Der. This discovery is now bringing about
the regeneration of Ireland. 1t remains
to break up the system of infnitesmally
small agricultural holdings which cannot
yield support for family OF a total
of $4,000 holdings $4,000 are of an aver
age rent of $15 year, very hard to raise
by pinching and screwing, on the poorest
land that can be found. when there is
plenty or good agricultural land to be had
It is in the region Of these latter hold
ings where the boycott and intimidation
policy obtains. but the United Irish
League, formerly practicing these meth
DDS, has abandoned them and resorts to
political action, which the government
does not now interfere with. The pres
ent land purchase bill simplifes and
cheapens to the tenant the expense of
transfer and purchase may be made on a
larger scale than heretofore where the
Landlords are willing to SELL
The policy Of the Salisbury government
embodtes the feature Of enlarging the OPP
portunities Of the Irish people by. improv-
ing the means of communication, deyelon-