The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-03-26
FREE GRANT OF S6O,OOO,0OO
IRISH LAND BILL INTRODUCED
 IN PARLIAMENT.
Secretary Wyndhum Explains Its Pro- visions-Haif Billion Dollars May be Involved but S750, DOC, ,ooO Can Safely be Advanced on Irish Land-Great Interest in the Measure.

London, March 25.-The Irish secre- tary, MT. Wyndham, introduced the governments long anticipated Irish land bill in the House of Commons this afternoon. It proposes a free grant of $60,00O,O00 for the purposes of the bill. Tenants are to pay 5A per cent. inter- est on loans from the government. MT. Wyndham said he thought the scheme would not involve $500, 1000, ,000 but that $75O, ,0OO, ,OOO could safely be advanced on Irish land. The advance to tenants is limited to $2,500 in the congested dis tricts and 5000 elsewhere. The bill also provides that untenanted farms and grazing lands shall be sold to neighboring tenants, and that three commissioners, to be known as estates commissioners, shall supervise the sales. The names of the three commits sioners are Michael Finucane, secretary to the government of Bengal revenue, general and statistical department; Frederick s. Wrench, now one of the Irish land commissioners, and William F. Bailey, one of the assistant commits sioners on the Irish land commission.
 They will be under the general control of the lord lieutenant of Ireland. The bill will become effective on Novem- Der 1.
 The keen interest felt in this new leg islation, which, it is hoped, will promote peace and contentment in Ireland, was shown by the crowded house. The
 peers gallery and the distinguished strangers gallery were filled, and there
 has been no such gathering of members of parliament since the opening of the
 session. In the diplomatic gallery sat United States Secretary Henry White, an interested spectator, while almost
 every Irish peer listened to Mir. Wynd- hams exposition of the bill.
 From an early hour this morning the
 stone benches from the House of Com
 mons entrance to the doors of the lob
 by were packed with impatient Irish
 men, among whom were many priests.
 Most of these went away without see ing even the inside of the legislative
 chamber, the galleries of which were | crowded as has not been the case for
 many a day. Michael Davitt, the father of the land league, celebrated
 his fifty-seventh birthday by re-enter- ing 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.
 For the most part the Liberal mem horc+ eot rr1,Iy +14 from the Irish benches. A hush of ex-
 pectation fell on the assembly as John Redmond, the Irish leader, rose to speak. If he refused to countenance
 the bill, its death, and perhaps even
 the governments downfall, was de-
 creed. When the galleries of the House found him sympathetic and non-con-
 initial feeling of relief pervaded all sides. What Sir Henry Campbell Ban
 herman, the Liberal leader, and the
 others said had little effect. Even T.
 W. Russell, who with other criticised
 the details and various omissions in
 MT. Wyndhan's plan, wound up with a guttural and reluctant admission that 'it is great bill"
 The passing of the first reading of the bill was followed by a rush to the lobby, where ensued scenes that might well make the ghost of Parnell turn in his grave.
 The Duke of Abercorn said: "To- days proceedings are certainly mat ter for congratulation. hope that the
 provisions of the bill, when carefully studied, will be carried out. It looks as though the ancient hatchet had been
 buried"