New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-22
IRISH LAND QUESTION.
PL4N FOR SETTLEMENT.
4greemert Reached By Ill the Inter
esfed Parties.

n.
with the Duke of Abercorn, Lord DunraVeH'
1ohn Redmond and others. The Associated Fress
ir able to announce duthofitatively that the lol-
lowing is the situa ton to-day as REGARDS 'iio
pIan TO settle the Irish land question nhahS
All the interested Observation-Disclosures Union
lists landlords and tenants-are nc" ioi Inv
first time in the history of Ireland IN asfeei'ie'
upon the lines of the Dublin conference AnV'
have also joined forces in bringing pressure o'
the government to make Secretary WFhohah
forthcoming bill agree in spirit with the rec
ommendat tons of the conference, ana al III
dications point 10 the bill conceding these de-
,,,apae IF will he introduced in Parliament at
the end of March, and, if passed will accom-
plish what Mr. Redmond and Lord DunraNeh
agree in saying will be one of the most
extraordinary peaceful revolutions ever Ell
fected" If Mr.. Wyndham. for lack OF tunas OF
other causes, fails meet the views OF the
conference he will have on his hands to quote
MI Redmond IAN Ireland such as the "orlo
has never seen" in this view such strong
supporter of the government as the DUKE oi
Abercorn concurs. Mr.. Redmond ADDS;
IF this agreement of keenly opposing parties
lacks fulfiiment through the government re-
fusal. there will be twice as many IheilpeIs -
Parliament in Jail and twice as many coun'e9
under the ban of the Crimes Act as there
were prior to the present truce inns Truce VII
be continued until the terms of the Dbl are re-
vealed a great Nationalist conference, at wnlCf f
Bourke Cochran. of New-1ork. VIII De one u
the principal speakers, will meet IN Duoilh III
April TO take action on the subject.
DUKE OF ABERCORNS VIEWS.
The Duke of Abercorn. who is president or
the powerful Irish Landlords Association winch
at first declined to join the Earl of Mayo ana
Lord Dunraven in comforting with the Nauonal-
lists but which later signifed its assent frankly
admits that he is amazed at the results achieVed
TlOJ
ing in Irish politics. Asked if he thought the
Nationalist were sincere in their professions
of WILLINGNESS to settle the long standing grew
ances by a. compromise. the Duke of Abercorn
ennphatically expressed his belief in their COM
plete sincerity. The Duke could not conceive
that the government would stand on any
bubbles" when the solution Of the most serious
problem of the empire within its grasp He
thought the process of changing the holdings
from the landlord to the tenant might possibly
cost Sc. 100000 annually, adding: 1t surely
would be cheap at that price.
Neither Mr.. Redmond nor Lord Dunraven be
lieves the transfer Of the land would involve
more than $150000O annually, and both think
that the economies resulting from the cheaper
adminstrat ton would greatly reduce this figure,
if they do not eventually quite wipe out the
necessity for state aid in the payment of the
difference between the maximum price the ten
ant can afford to pay and the minimum price
the landlord accept
The Irish Unionist leaders of the opinion
that the whole question might be declared set
tied in advance if the government was not so
desperately hard up" In consequence of this
lack of funds Mr.. Wyndhan's bill will not ne
introduced until after the presentation of the
Budget so that any money 10 carry out the
provisions of the bill will not be included in this
years taxes.
PROBLEM FOR CHANCELLOR RICHIE.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr.. Richie,
while sympathetic toward ireland, now faces
a more serious financial situation and more
bitter protests against overtaXation than have
confronted any Chancellor in recent years, Inc
phenomenally small government majorities since
Parliament reassembled are indications OF the
storm which is brewing over Mr.. Ritchie's head.
He must also float a new Transvaal loan before
Ireland gets additional penny. and the gov
eminent with reason. is keenly anxious in
this respect. Consols yesterday were at the
lowest point reached this year. and inquiries
made at Anglo-American banking houses, such
as the Morgans, Segmans and Speyers. reveal
the fact that there is indication of the
United States subscribing to loan Since the
last war loan was largely underwritten in
New-York the international monetary situation
has completely changed. and the firms here say
the Americans now need their capital for use
at home. One fnancier said:
If the government brought out loan which
would really provide means for settling the irish
question they would get underwriting
than they would know what to do with, both
here and in America.
Mr.. Redmond asked pointblank if he
thought the landlords were in earnest, and he
replied:
have every reason to think they are just as
anxious as we are to settle and for all
IreIands troubles If Mr.. Wyndham brings in
q bill the lines of the decisions arrived at
by the Dublin conference the greatest step in the
industrial and social history of ireland will
have been accomplished More than that, it
will be most important step toward Home
Rule. Under the new system the landlords will
live in Ireland, derive benefit from their prop
erty and begin TO take a new interest in Irish
affairs. They will then the necessity for an
extension of local government and will eventu-
ally become as anxious ourselves to secure
Home Rule.