Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-25
IRISH LAND BILL
Introduced in British House
of Commons.
BIG CROWD ATTENDS
FREE GRANT OF 100000, 900 PRO-
POSED.
Estimated That $500, ,ooo, 900 Will Be
Raised by Issuance Of Guar
anteed Stock.
BIG CROWD ATTENDS

LONDON, March 25.-The Irish secretary,
Mr. Wyndham, introduced the governments
long-anticipated Irish land bill in the house
of commons today. 1t proposes free grant
of 100000, 600 for the purposes of the bill
The keen interest felt in this new legisla-
ton, which, 1t is hoped. will promote peace
and contentment in Ireland was evidenced
by the crowded house. The peers gallery
and the distinguished strangers gallery
were filed, and there has been no such
gathering of members of parliament since
the opening of the session. Michael Davitt,
the father of the Land League, celebrated
his fifty-seventh birthday by re-entering the
house for the first time since he ceased to
be a member, in order to hear the chief
secretary for Ireland unfold his plans.
Cheers for Mr.. Wyndham.
Mr.. Wyndham who was heartily cheered
when he arose to speak, announced at the
outset that the government thought cash
aid was necessary for the fulfillment of the
proposed scheme, but 1t attached greater
Importance to the credit operation than to
the cash operation. He then unfolded the
scheme, which provides for advances of
money for the purchase of land by the
tenants. The advances will be in the shape
of cash and not of stock, but in order to
enable the cash to be raised a new stock is
to be fioated 1t will be called guaranteed
2s4 per cent stock and will be unredeemable
for thirty years. Mr.. Wyndham doubted If
$500, ,OOO,OO of the stock would be needed.
1t will be issued at the rate of 2o,COO,oOO
yearly for the first three years, and after
ward possibly in larger sums.
Free Grant Of $6O,OOO,OOO.
In addition to this the government pro-
posed a free grant of SEQ. 600, 900 to be raised
by addition to the stock, the interest and
sinking fund Of which will be borne by the
treasury, and the maximum annual charge
of which will not exceed s1,95O.O0O
exceed S1.950,GOO. Against this charge on
the British treasury the Irish government
proposes forthwith to commence reductions
in the cost of administration amounting to
$3.50 OCO per annum forever
Proceeding, Mr. Wyndham dealt with the
points of the bill, which contains be-
wildering mass of figures showing how ad-
vances will be made and the terms of re-
payment, but it seems in the main to be on
the lines laid down by the land conference
report, and will be satisfactory to the land
lords and tenants In the course of his
speech which was punctuated by cheers,
Mr.. Wyndham said the landlords of Ire
land were being ruined financially and that
the tenants were being ruined morally, and
the taxpayers of England were paying
100000 per annum to the land commission
and 81 100000 to the Irish police. which
largely was needed to deal with illegalites
arising from the land question.
rs II remarkable under these circum-
stances" asked the Irish secretary, 'if the
landlords and tenants come together?''
Nothing Yelled in the Transaction.
Mr.. Wyndham did not think any recondite
or yelled reasons need be looked for. Past
experience showed the state incurred no
risk In giving such aid. From the tax pay
ers viewpoint 1t was stated that aid for
land purchased was safe commercial
transaction. BY the aid of the state 80 900
tenants had already bought their holdings.
and the state had not lost a half penny.
Public opinion supported repayment and
this was high, moral security, besides which
was the security of the land itself
Mr.. Wyndham also said that the number
OF anomalies which had to be dealt with
rendered the work more embarra ssing. COM
plicated and very difficult to present to the
house in an Ineligible manner. The state
OF things in some parts OF Ireland was such
as could scarcely be believed in England.
One Aggravated Case.
He instanced one village in which a land
lord was in the workhouse during the
greater part of the year, while the tenants
lived under conditions worse than those
of the Kaffirs of Africa. What the gov
ernment prop sed TO do to remedy this state
of affairs was briefly while withdrawing
no existing rights, it contemplated that the
purchase of land in the future should pro-
ceed by the sale of estates, under three
commissioners, Michael Finucane, under
secretary in the statistical department:
Frederick Brent and w. f. Bayley. The
commissioners, who will be known es-
tates commissioners, will be under the gen.
eral control of the lord lietenant of Ire
land
They are empowered to decide what con-
stitutes an estate, which does not neceS-
sarily mean the entire property owned by
the vender, as a considerable portion there
of may remain in his hands. The Comm s.
poor holdings unless there are reasonable
necessary. and for adequate access to turf
az fuel.
Mr.. Wyndham proceeded. saying that in
view OF the strong recommendation OF the
: recent land conference the government had
provided that the landlords might make
their own arrangements with the tenants
II they Tailed with the policy of the present
bill. which, instead Of expatriating the
landlords, stated in some quarters,
woulu. he hoped. enable them to remain in
the country. The government thought the
period for the repayment of loans should
be sixty-eight and one-half years. There
We're strenuous provisions against subdivid-
ing mortgages on holdings.
Mr.. Wyndham Sums Up.
In conclusion. Mr.. Wyndham said he was
sure the landlords and tenants would con-
tinue to act In the reasonable spirit which
actuated the conference There were two