The Irish standard., 1903-08-08

within Its own limits. Well, that is a
sort of thing that this House ought not
to tolerate, and l rejoice beyond mea-
sure to think that the day has at last
come when after the considerable eff
forts but, compared with this, tenta-
tive measures which have already
been passed on this matter we find
their final consummation in the great
bill which, hope. will soon become
an Act.
Mr.. w. O'BRIEN, who was received
with cheers, slid-rhe chief secretary
is certainly a fortunate exception TO
the old maxim that the absent are al
ways in the wrong. Whatever else
this bill may do, it has already ac-
complished one thing beyond yea or
nay-viz. it has established the chief
secretary's parliamentary reputation
to a degree which certainly his late
opponents on these benches will not
grudsingly acknowledge hear, hear).
Ii only the other expectations of the
bill are as happily realized, the
measure will have succeeded in ac.
complishing perhaps the most revolu-
tionary change that has ever taken
place in the relations between the two
countries Chear, hear. Whether the
bill will effect that revolution 1 cannot
undertake to prophecy; but there is
certainly no ground that 1 can see for
any prophecy Of evil (hear, hear.) The
success of the bill will depend in the
main upon two things, of which we
are not the masters. The first is the
moderation and good sense with which
the landlords will, I hope, lay down a
business-like basis for purchase re.
CARELESS of the obstruction of the land
agents and of some of the absurd and
impossible prices that We're originally
contemplated in clause 1 of the bill,
The second point upon which the sue.
cess of the bill will depend-as is the
case with nearly everything in Ire
land-is the administration of the bill,
upon whether it is worked out in the
spirit OF broad and liberal Cancellation
IN which this whole settlement has
been conceived. One thing, it may
be said with certainty, will not be
missing. and that is the most thorough
going friendliness. fair play, and good
VIII on the part of the masses of the
Irish people and a determination not
to indulge in any mere petulance or
rancor upon small points, so long as
the landlords and the estates commits
sioners honestly do their part in work.
ing out the great scheme of concilia-
ton Which within the last six months
mas transformed the face OF Ireland
(cheers). There are two OF three
points in particular upon which the
successful working of the bill will de-
pend-tirst, that the new purchasers
annuities should be suc.l that they can
cheerfully look forward to with an eve
on the future. That was a cardinal
principle in the settlement suggested
by the land conference. The second
point is that the ample powers vest
cd in the estates commissioners for the
complete and generous settlement Of
the evicted tenants question should be
exercised. in the spirit of the chief
secretary's repeated and transparently
sincere declarat ton that it is his de-
sire to see all the bitterness of the
evil memories connected with this
question completely eradicated. The
third point is that however imperfect
the constitution and the powers of the
congested districts board still are. the
board should take the series of hints
given by the chief secretary, turn over
a new leaf, and exercise for all thew
are worth the enlarged powers given
by this bill, with a view, not to car.
rylng on tinkering opera tons, but in
transferring the people rapidly and in
large numbers to the land in which all
their hopes are conferred [ should
perhaps. add another point. which is
an indispensable condition of success
| and that is that the chief secretary
should not forget his promise to the
laborers (clleers), and that in framing
during the autumn his settlement of
the Elborers question he should
make up his mind that the real rom.
edy lies, not in any mere paltry tinker.
ing amendment of the existing labor
crs' acts, but that it lies in giving the
labnring population in the south ana
the east tho very same trca and
acting towards them in the very same
way that You have undertaken towards
their brother migratory laborcrs in the
west ChcAl. hear. None Of these things
| have NAMED inflict any hardship I'D
on the landlords or upon the TREASURY
but it is the spirit that will be shown
| believe. me. in matters of this kind in
the administration of the bill that
Will. more than any statute enact
mcnts. 90 to decide and determine
whether the present process of ap
pcasement and Cancellation is to go tc
a length that twelve months ago would
have been beyond contemplation
quite agree with the warming of tho
right honorable gentleman (Colone
Saundcrson). that this House must
not expect too much (hear. hear. Mr.
Redmond truly reminded the House