Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-25
. TIE IRISH LAND
BILL TAKEN Up
Measure of Far Reaching I'm
portance to the Island Pre-
sented In Parliament
HOUSE OF COMMONS CROWDED
Irish Secretary Wyndham Presents the
Measure and Explains the Scheme
BY Which Irish Tenants Will Be-
come Owners Of the Soil They Till
Likely to Settle the Irish Question.

London, March 25.-Irish Secretary
iwyndham introduced the Irish land
bin in the house of comons today.
The keen interest felt in this new
legislation, which it is hoped will pro-
mote peace and contentment In Ireland,
was evidenced by the crowded house.
The Pors gallery and the distin-
guislled strangers gallery were filed.
There had been no such gathering of
the members of the parliament since
the opening of the session. Michael
Davitt, father of the land league, cele-
brated his f1fth-seventf birthday by
ro-entering the house for the first time
since he ceased to be a member, in or
der to hear the chief secretary for Ire
land unfold his plans.
Wyndhanl, who was heartily cheered
when he arose to speak. announced at
the outset that the government thought
.ash and crecit were necessary for full
slnient of the proposed scheme. But
Il attached greater Importance to the
.redit operations than to the cash op-
.rations. He then unfolded a scheme
which provides for advances of money
sor the purchase of land by the tenants.
The advances will be in the shape OF
,ash and not Of stock. but in order to
enable the cash to be raised new
stock is to be floated. 1t will be called
guaranteed 2A per cent. stock and
viii be unredeemable for forty wears.
Wyn6ham doubted II five hundred
million of the stock would be needed.
Ii will be issued at the rate of $25,0Oo,-
600 yearly, for the first three years,
afterwards possibly in larger sums. In
addition TO this the government pro-
posed O free grant of x60,000.000 TO be
raised ry additions to the stock, inter-
est and sinking fund of which Will be
borne by the treasurer and the maxi
mum annual charge OF which will not
exceed $1,95o.000.
The bill also provides that tenants
shall pay 3A per cent interest on loans
from the government. That untenanted
farms and grazing lands will be sold to
neighboring tenants and that three
commissioners will supervise the sales.
Against this charge en- the British
treasury the Irish government proposes
forthwith to commence reductions in
tie cost of administration, amounting
to G1,250.00o per annum forever.
Proceeding, Wyndhan dealt with the
roints of the bill which contains be-
wildering mass of figures, showing how
advances would be made and the terms
of payment. but 1t seems In the main
to be on the lines laid down by the
land conference report and VIII be sat
isfactory to landlords and tenants. In
the course of his speech. which was
punctuated by cheers. Wyndham SAID
The landlords of Ireland were being
ruined financially; that tenants were
being ruined morally, and the taxpay-
ers of England were paying seven nun
dred thousand per annilm to land
and seven millions to irish
police, which largely was needed to
deal with illegalities arising from the
land question.
..Is it remarkable, under these Cir
cumstances," asked th.. secretary, III
the landlords and tenants come to-
gether?'
Wyndham did not think any recon-
Cite or yelled reason need be looked for.
Past experience showed the state IN
Cured no risk in giving such aid. From
the taxpayers viewpoint it was stated
mid for the land purchase was safe
commercial transaction. BY the aid of
The state $4,000 tenants had already
bought their holdings and the state was
not losing half n penny. Public opin-
i'm supported the repayment, and this
was high, moral security. besides which
was the security of the land itself. A
,,,n,her of anomalies which had to be
deaJt with rendered the work most em-
lha rrassing, complicated and very diff
c,,,t to present to the house in am in
tel,igible manner. The state of things
IN some parts of Ireland he said, was
such as could scarcely be beiieved IN
England.
He instanced one village in which
a landlord was in the work house DUR
ing the greater part of the year, While
the tenants lived under conditions
worse than those of the kafhfs OF Al
rica. What the government proposed
to do to remedy this state OF affairs
was briefly. while Withdrawing no ex-
isting rights, II contemplated that the
purchase Of land in the future should
proceed by sale of estates. under three
Michael Ffnucane, un-
der Secretary in the statistical depart
ment. Frederick Brent and W. F. Bay
lev. The commissioners will be under
the general control of the Lord Lieu
tenant of ireland. They are empow-
cred to decide what constitutes an es-
tate, which does not necessarily mean
the entire property owned by vender,
as a considerable portion thereof may
remain in his hands. The commission
ers may refuse sanction of the sale of
Door holdings, unless there are reason
able facilities for their enlargement.
where necessary. and for adequate ac-
cess to the turf as fuel. The gov
eminent thought the period for repay
mept of all loans should be 6Sh years.
There were strenuous provisions
against sub dividing mortgages in the
holdings. In conclusion, Windham
said he was sure the landlords and
tenants would continue to act in the
reasonable spirit which actuated the