New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-02

OF the Congested District Board has only served
to emphasize the necessity for a general en-
forcement of the principle of purchase In the
course of two years through the agency Of the
Land Commission 4.5OO tenants in the Dillon
estate have benefited by an expenditure of ST.
100000 on a basis of fifteen and half years
purchase In the rentals. Where tenant for
mery paid fS he now Is liable to a charge of To-
and in due time his grandson will have
full ownership. Clare Island and other con-
gested districts in the West and South have been
dealt with on similar lines through the combined
influence of this board and parish priests The
settlement of the troubles on the Dillon and
other estates excited the envy Of the De Freyne
tenants. a wretched body of Western tenants,
who contrIved to exc out their rents with the
help of farm labor in England and contributions
from relatives in America. When they learned
that their more fortunate neighbors were paying
Fl TO their 80. that 100000 of arrears had
been wiped out, $4,000 expended drainage
and improvements, and some grass farms added
to the holdings with absolute ownership at the
end Of forty years, they asked their own
landlord to sell the estate on similar terms. He
refused absolutely and locked the gates of his
demesne against them. opening the way for
campaign Of eviction. Ulster is not In so
sorry plight the West, with its congested
districts. but 1t needs some method of forcing
reforms where landlords are perverse and I'M
reasonable and the Land Commission plays into
their hands Land purchase. where II has been
effected through the fundamentally of the com
mission, has operated so as to reduce the annual
charges of tenants Their neighbors, whose
landlords will not consent to similar schemes Of
purchase are placed at a serious disadvantage,
and are clamoring for the introduction of the
compulsory principle. In the West, according
TO Mr. Massingham. who Is exceedingly well In
formed this subject. there is no economic
rent on the estates, as Sir James Card admitted
years ago Some day it will come to no rent
all over Western Ireland and very good and
righteous ending, too"
Mr. Russell is full Of fight and threatens TO
contest every Unionist seat in Ulster, and TO
capture at least eight. He has been practically
excluded from the Unionst party, and com
plains that the Unionist press of Ulster has boy
cotted his movement, reviling him and refusing
to print speeches made on behalf OF his candl-
date While ne admits that there were Austen
tions he contends that he received strong sup
port from the Protestant farmers, and scouts
the Unionst charge that his candidate had
$500 Nationalist votes and that he himself is
playing second fiddle to Mr.. Redmond. MT
Russell has never rivaled Colonel Saunderson
IN aggressiveness, but he has been keen debater
and a strenuous opponent of Irish Home Rule
He has marked talent as an organizer. ana
genuine constructive ability, having been CHER
promoter OF the Land Acts Committee. which
forced on the passage of the reform bill Of 1896
When he leads tenant farmers movement on
the ground that the legislation which he himself
inspired has been marred and ruined by injudi-
cious partisan administration in the interest OF
landlords he speaks with little authority as
an expert. Clearly It is premature to forecast
the collapse of his movement as Irish landlords
and British Unionists are now doing. as the
inevitable consequence of his secession from the
government the question of land purchase.
II is more prudent. if not more reasonable. to
assume that Mr.. Wyndham's measure Will be
stifened and enlarged as the result of the East
Down election, and that something practical
will be done to counteract the effect OF transac-
tions like the purchase of the Dillon estate by
which all the neighboring tenants thor
oughly unsettled in mind and predisposed to no
rent agitation until the abolition Of landlordism
can be brought about through compulsory pur-
chase.
AS the information on which this letter is
based is supplied mainly from sympathizers
with the Nationalist cause and Mr.. Russels
! movement 1t is only just to quote the opinion
| of an Irish landlord of the highest character
| He tells me that his own tenants nave been
entirely satisfied with two reductions OF rentals
and that they have desire to purchase their
/ holdings He gets perfectly well with them
and insists that there is little trouble on well
| managed estates in Ireland. He is willing TO
sell out the property to the tenants, II he can
| get a fair price for it. He does not believe that
any government Tory or Radical. will ever in
terfere so grossly with private rights OF property
! owners as to enact a compulsory purchase bill.
| AS for Home Rule IL has been KILLED forever
| nv Nationalist sympathy with the Beers when
| has excited the anger OF Liberal 1mperialists.
He considers Mr.. Russelrs movement a spent
force because the main body Of his supporters
has been shown to be recruited from National
lists He asserts that the great majority OF irish
landlords are only too ready to sell their estates
| To their tenants on equitable terms, but that
MANY of them cannot prove their titles. and
need special legislation. Settlements like that
| NJ the Dillon estate he considers most harassng
| and troublesome to owners of adjacent estates
| r,bare tenants are placed at a serious disad-
| vantage and thrown into a state OF excitement
| and discomfort. He emphasizes the fact that
| .hare has never been less agrarian crime In
| Io,and than at present and that landlords OF
| ,ho hest class are living at peace with their
| .o,arts and cooperating with the Nationalist
| a,strict councils and the Roman Catholic clergy
| a. the maintenance of publics order and the
| ,,rrovement OF local government
| 11vents may be moving. however, more rapidly
| .han the good landlords think. ireland u.s. IN
| 80 M longer a nation on strike, as II was IN
| -, parnelTs time. There is neither agitation
| - violence but there is organization II the
| =, ~ the North and of the south are Iouiiu
| '~' ~ thtx question OF compulsory