The Irish standard., 1903-04-25


says a London dispatch of April LIST to
the New York Sun, Admiral Lord
Charles Beresford will hoist his flag
us commander of the Channel squad.
ron. That date marks his retirement
for the present from the political field
and his return to the duties of IL flag
officer on the active list. Then he be-
comes, according to the admiralty
regulations, tOnguc-ticd with respect
to matters political or controversial.
But Lord Charles intimate knowl-
edge of all phases Of the Irish qucs-
tion-he being an Irishman and
landlOrd-has induced him to make
use Of his remaining freedom to give
Sun representative some expression
Of his views on this engrossing topic
of the day.
Turning with enthusiasm to the pro-
visions OF the pending land bill and
the benefits he believed would result
to Ireland, Which he kept Affections
ately calling "my country" the admir-
al discussed the matter in these terms:
'"Thc bill is Il courageous, statesman
like attempt to solve the Irish qucs-
tion. 1t is the first real measure
which treats Ireland as a whole, which
deals out equally to both classes and
| at the expense Of neither; that is, the
landlord is not sacrificed for the ten
ant, nor the tenant for the landlord.
For this reason the measure must ap.
peal to every Irisllman who desires to
see peace, unity and settled con-
slant prosperity established in his
country.
81 am enthusiastic about the meas
ure. l believe it must solve all the
troubles and difficulties which have
bcsct Ireland, because it is fair and
satisfactory to all parties concerned
1t is fair to the landlords who have
been In position of great loss ow-
ing to the interference Of the state,
which did away with the right of
contract between man and man. 1t is
fair to the tcnant, and it doesn't put
the taxpayer to any great expense.
| "Of the many acts that are on the
statute book, dealing with the rclt-
tions between landlord and tenant, all
have been more or less failures be-
cause they have only encouraged liti-
CATION. They have been of profit to
but one class in Ircand-thc lawyers.
They have put landlords and tenants
apart instead Of bringing them to-
gether; have made their interests
diamctrically opposite, instead of max
ing them synonymous.
agriculture is the main industry of
Ireland, and previous land legislation
for Ireland has done little but throw
heavy load Of litigation on the agri-
cultural industry. After the union
England ruined all other industries
by hostile tariffs, with the result that
when agriculture failed there was
nothing for an Irishman but emigra-
ton. There were no home Industries
to which he could turn to find q liv-
ing.
'"This is why the land question has
always been so vital to Irishmen, and
why the failure of its settlement has
been such a ranking sore for genera
tions. The people of the United States
know this better, perhaps, than they
do in England, for they have had for
years among them men and the chill
dren Of men driven from their homes
on this account. The Land act Of
1870 gave compensation for disturb
ancc,' hut it would not efface the feel
ing Of bitterness that centuries Of un-
Just land tenure had engendercd. The
hatred Of England to be found to-day
among many Irish-Amcricans is proof
of how that feeling has survived.
"Nor do 1 WONDER" continued Lord
Charles "for, though was born
landlord and loyalist, have often
| said that had I been born tenant,
before 10 it is not unlikely I would
have been a rebel. Before the 20 act
the Irish tenant was much in the same