Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-04
WILL Buy IRISH LIND
Settlement of the Irish Prob
lem Undertaken in New
and Peaceful Manner
HAS COST ENGLAND s5ooooo,ooo
Purchase of the Irish Estates Believed
to Be Right soIution-Nearly 100000
Tenants Would Be Enabled to Buy
Their Holdings Under the System
Which Is Now Being Considered.


London, Nov. 4--Leaders of the Irish
nationaiists see a settlement Oh the
Irish land problem within year. They
expect a compulsory act under when
the landlords whose rule has been the
bane of the island for centuries, Will
be bought out by the tenants. BY this
Elan the British government Will act as
a realty agent and advance by a sys-
tenn of credits and yearly installnents
the tremendous sum of s500,O0o,000 as
the purchase price for the tenants.
That the government believes that
the purchase of the irish estates is the
right solution is asserted by George
Wyndham, M. p, chief secretary for
Ireland. BY former acts the govern
ment has already advanced $lo.0uU,ooV,
and thus enabled 10000 tenants to pur-
chase their holdings. This was In the
richest districts. There has been no
relief ia the poor sections OF western
Ireland, where the most suffering is re-
ported The plan worked WELL only
three tenants were behind in this years
repa yrnent of their installments to the
government. AS result of the same
legislation, $3.50, 100000 is available now
for future purchase.
The Irish leaders see in every step OF
the government progress toward settle
ment, Chief Secret ary Wyndham is am
bilious to effect a solution. Ills recent
appointment of Anthony Mcdonald as
permanent under secretary for ireland
has an important bearing on the situa-
ton. Mcdonald was formerly on the
India board of control and wrought
great land reforms there, settling lib
orally the differences between the ma
tive tenants and the foreign landlords.
His appointment gives the Irish leaders
more faith in the governments promise
of important land legislation at the
coming session of parliament. That the
government is equally confident is
shown by Chief Secretary Wyndham's
remark: II believe the end will come
in one year. I believe I will hold the
place Of an honest broker between the
tenants, the landlords, and the taSpay-
ers of this country"
The purchase and settlement act is
expected to carry with it an act break
ing up the vast tracts Of land now used
for grazing purposes and divide them
among the tenants. who are now
cramped on eight-acre holdings which
do not enable them to raise enough for
a livelihood for their families. The
government recognized this need by the
creation of the congested districts board
years ago, which has been slowly buy
ing up grazing estates and reapportion-
ing the population, the tenants, in turn,
purchasing the land. Great reforms
have been effected. but the method is
too slow.
There are 100000 tenants in Ireland
OF this number 10000 have bought their
holdings, using the $100,000,0G0 extend
ed in credits by the government. Of the
remaining 100000 more than half live
on eight or ten-acre tracts.
Many landlords are fayoring a speedy
settlement of the agitation, which for SO
many decades have kept their tenants
in a state bordering on rebellion. The
landlords have suffered a reduction in
their rents of at least 40 per cent by the
past acts of their tenants. They have
tates with heavy mortgages and have
been to the expense of costly litigation,
and they are at the mercy of periodical
rent revaluations.
There are two classes of landlords in
Ireland-the English whose wealth lies
in other interests and the Irish whose
land is a supplemental matter, and the
Irish aristocracy. whose wealth is less
and whose land holdings are their only
source of income. The lands of the
latter class are mortgaged heavily at
high rates of interest The irish land
lords want to sell because they hope to
be able to force better bargain later.
The rich landlords, who have already
disposed Of much of their holdings are,
paradoxical as it may seem, leading the
opposition to all legislation looking to a
settlement of the question.
T. p. O'Connor. the well-known jour
nalist and nationalist member OF par
lament. said yesterday:
only a slight difference is now in
the way of settlement of the Irish
question. l expect year will bring the
end, mutual concessions being made by
landlords and tenants
The landlords demand price equal
to the annual rents for thirty years Inc
Irish leaders insist that this demand is
preposterous, the purchases already
consummated having been made on an
eighteen-year basis. The Irish leaders
claim that this should be the basis Tor
the general act for future purchases,
but are willing to agree to a compro-
mise Of twenty-one or twenty-three
wears.