The Irish standard., 1902-08-02

ments which followed. There will
still be amendments, and it will not
be completed until the Compulsory
Purchase Act becomes n law. Under
the present act, up to the beginning
of this year G3OOO holdings have been
sold to tenants ana sales arc being
made daily. These holdings are wide
~ distributed ana may he eaaly
picked out in travelling through the
country, as these farms appear to be
better kept than those OH which the
farmer is simply n tenant.
at is well TO bear in mind that Ire.
land is essentially an agricultural
country. The entire income of Ire
land is fio,ooO,oco, f32,OoO,ooo of
which comes from the land.
''rhc means to acquire land under
the Land Act arc about as follows:
The land owner having consented to
sale Of his land, the Land
Commission. made up of men of
wide experience and high char
actcr. make an apprniscment Of
The property determining the value
OF the land and fix the terms of nly-
mcnt. fifteen or twenty-onc years.
Many of the farmers take advantage
of the privilege of paying earlier.
The seller of the property receives his
money Immediately, it being provided
by the government
GAS have stated. it is easy to pick
out the farms which are held by the
farmers in fCa by the more tidy ard,s
prosperous appearance they present.
Whore tho same can be said of farms
worked by tenants, it may be assumed
that the landlords are just men.
"Ic most serious complaints
heard in Ireland We're from the land
lords who STATED that their incomes
had been greatly reduced by the ap-
praisals of the Land Commission,
whose Judgment of values they are
bound to accept. Tenant farmers who
feel that their rents are excessive an
peal to the Land Commission, who de.
tcrmine the amount of rental they
shall be required to pay. In one in.
stance n landlord told me that his in.
come had thus been reduced one-half.
TIE Land Commission costs the ad.
minStration E15O,OOO year, 1 under.
stand.
'"rlc tenant farmer has Il desire to
own his land in fee. There is then
more incentive for him to cultivate
it and more incentive for his children
to aid him. There is Il strong senu-
mcnt in Ireland that the land balongs
to the people, and that they were de. n
privcd Of IT by confiscation.
"lrlshmen have an intense longing
TO possess the land. 1t may be seen
in those who have come to this coun-
try. The great emigration from Ire.
land from 1870 to 177G, 1 believe, was
in consequence of desire to acquire
land.
"There are large estates in Ireland
held by landlords who show no in.
tcrest in the country's welfare or pros.
perty They simply collect their
rents for the payment OF which they
are most exacting, and spend their
income outside Of Ireland.
"Thc Compulsory Purchase Act
now being advocated by the members
in parliament compels the landlords
to dispose of their land now occupied
by tenant farmers at prices fixed by
the Land Commission, who make q
fair and liberal appraisal. This act
is favored and supported by 80 or 81
out Of the IS or sc Irish representa-.
tives in parliament.
"The only objectors are the mem.
bers from Trinity College and two
from the north. 1t may he said that
Ireland is unanimous for the enact
ment Of this act. 1t is pleasant to
find such measure advocated by all
sections and creeds, who are all united
in working for the best interests Of
Ireland.
Much of the bettered condition of
Ireland is due to the establishment OF
the Board Of Agriculture and Tech. Il