The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-26
HAPPY ERA IS DAWNING
 OVER EMERALD ISLE
Continued from First Psael

OontlHuCu ITOTn TlfSI FddCl
 digested except in the most general terms Michael Davitt and T. P. ocon- nor, however gave the Associated Press correspondent the following signed state ments
 Michael Davitt Will Wait.
 Mr. Davitt wrote: No fair or final judgment can be passed on the govern ment Irish land bill until the full text Of the measure can be read carefully and studied. The impression left in my mind by the speech of the chief secretary ot Ireland Is that the bill he outlined of- fered unreasonable compensation to the landlords, and therefore does not offer sufficient inducement to buy their hold ngs on these terms-terms which seem to me to be fully ten years purchase above the market value of the Irish land lords property. However, it Is possible that there may be some provisions in the bill when we can see it in print which will offer some minor advantages to the tenants of that country, which to some extent will remove the objectionable terms provided for the landlords. The one consoling feature of this latest at tempt of the British parliament to settle the Irish land question is the proof that it offers that the Celtic people of Ireland have compelled an English landlord gov ernment to provide money with which to buy the British landlord garrison of Ire land. l, of course, take an extreme or cumulative view of the land question and think that it is the tenants of Ireland, and not the landlords, who ought to re- ceive the bonus which the bill provides for the Irish supporters of his majestys government.
 "The economic conditions of the Irish agricultural industry, face to face with the food competition of America, Canada, Australia and Argentina where no rents are paid to a landlord class, make il possible for Irish food producers to pay the burden which this bill will place on their industry for the next sixty years. However, as I have already said, we must see the text of the bill before any final judgment can be passed upon it.
 U. S. Will Reserve Opinion.
 "As a whole, I think that our friends in the United States who have done so much to help us bring this fight for Irish lands to the present somewhat hopeful outlook, will follow the example of our leaders and reserve their opinion on the merits of the measure. The fight has been long and harder than many fights in the open. Hearts have been broken, men have been killed and many lives
 
 today has been won. I cannot see my way to agree to the bill as it is, but when I remember that in 1879 l served my first term of imprisonment for promising almost exactly what a conservative Irish secretary proposed today, l realize how times change.
 This partial triumph Is merely a fore runner of home rule. It is an inevitable evolution. Far be it from me to stand in the way of anything that may help even slightly to bring that about" T. P. O'Connor writes,
 T believe that the bill will go into committee. That is to say, there is suf- ficient good in it to make it difficult, if not impossible, for the nationalists to reject it. One hundred million pounds of English credit, and something like R15.- 100000 in bonus are given to substitute peasant ownership for landlordism. It is true that Ireland will subscribe her share of the 215,000,000 bonus; true that a pure ly Irish fund will have to pay a portion of the bonus; true that the financial grievance on undue Irish taxation re- mains but Ireland is not mistress of her revenues. Her appeals for a financial re- dress have been in vain and probably this is the one way in which relief of her financial grievances can be got. The main energies of Irishmen should now be devoted toward amending many of the defects in the bill. Many Irishme1 think that the great wealthy landlords especially the Anglo-Irish, may not find inducement to sell; also that the terms for the tenants in many cases may be too high.
 MT. Wyndham indicated his willing ness to consider amendments to the bill.
 T believe that an united movement toward such amendment may enormously improve the measure, which is big and bold though in parts a defective attempt