The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-03-14

nuaI payments to go on? The scheme
only says:
Until such time as the treasury
is satisfied thmat the loan has been re-
paid"
To me. I confess, it seems quite in
defensible to have it suggested that
so long as the limit thus definitely
marked in the scheme by the figures
indicating the reduction to be made
in the tenants yearly payments is re-
| spected in the government measure,
there can be room for any allegation.
not to say breach of faith, but OF
| anything even savoring of unfair deal
| ing in the matter. Again, it is quite
| incomprenhensible to me upon what
| ground of common sense it can be
| justified that while tenants through
| out the country areS on the one
hand, being encouraged, and 1
| think most properly encouraged, to
express their approval of the con-
ference scheme-every effort. however,
being made to discourage and
repress everything in the shape of crit
icism of any of the provisions of the
scheme-these same tenants should. on
the other hand, have it dinned into
their ears that they will be very I'M
fairly treated if certain provisions as
to the terms of purchase, that are un-.
questionably within the limits of the
mansion house scheme are to find
place in the forthcoming government
measure.
Let the people be told the truth. Let,
US have one thing or the other. If an
arrangement based upon % years
purchaSe-Whether of ''frSt-term" or
of 'second-term," rentals-iS a thing to
be denounced, let the scheme of the
conference be openly and honestly
found fault with, for having left it open
to the government not only to construct
its financial arrangements on such
basis, but to put forward those ar
rangements as within the lines of the
conference scheme. If, on the other
hand, that scheme is not to be found
fault with, although it has been so
framed as to leave such arrangements
open to the government, then let the
government not be found fault with II
they take a course-a course surely py
no means unnatural for a government
to take of exehcising the freedom OF
choice, which, as is stated by one OF
the most capable members of the con-
ference, has been adyisedly left open to
tharl.
The present government, especially
the Irish section of it, is, 1 have little
doubt, inspired by as friendly and
statesmanlike sentiments toward Ire
land as could possibly be entertained by
government not prepared to go the
length of thorough-going recognition
of our national rights. 1t is to be
hoped that the friendly government
may find it consistent with state policy
to abstain from taking advantage of
such points as may have been left
open to them to take advantage of in
the scheme that is now being so en-
Enthusiastically extolled by the country
If, however, they choose to act in the |
matter as it is the common way of gov
ernments to act in all such cases. L
venture to hope that there is honesty |
enough in the country to repress every
thing in the shape of hostile criticism |
of their action in doing So and to re-
press-for the sake of the tenants |
calculated to |
stand in the way of the tenants taking |
full advantage of all the good that may |
be in the government measure.
One thing is plain. A policy that has |
never up to this been successful in Ire
land is now being tried. What is re-
garded as the maximum, as well as
what may be stated as the minimum,
Of the Irish claim for the reform of our
system of land tenure, has been de-
fined. The maximum of that claim has
been indeed so authoritatively defined
that it has been in any respect under
stated must do so with the knowledge
that he will be at once held Up to
1dium as an offender against the pub
ic good.
1t cannot be questioned that the pro-
sramme thus put forward has been in
lorsed, and most cordially indorsed, by
he country as whole. The country.
hen, is pledged to stand by it, and, let
ne add, to stand by it not only against
hose who might perhaps be regarded
Is it's natural antagonists, but even
against any of its natural supporters
Who may be disposed from any mo-
i've, to advise lukewarm reception to
,e given to it if it should have the rare
,ood fortune of being embodied in a
government measure.
WILLIAM J, WALSH.
= ~ Archbishop of Dublin.