Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-26
VIEWS ON IRISH BILL
Nationalist Leaders Discuss
Land Proposition.
FAVORABLE COMMENT
MOVEMENT Is IN THE DESIRED
DIRECTION.
Not ALI That Irishmen Hoped for, but
Will Be Accepted in Good
Faith.

The Associated Press report of the intro
duction and first reading of the Irish land
hill in the house of commons yesterday
continued as follows after The Stars going
to press:
The passage of the first reading of the
bill was followed by rush to the lobby,
where ensued scenes that might well make
the ghost of Parnell turn in his grave. The
tall form of Lord Dudley, lord lieutenant OF
Ireland could be seen amid a crowd of
nationalists, who scarcely year ago would
rather have suffered every penalty than
associated with the official head of the
Irish government. Beside Lord Dudley
stood the grizzled little Sir Anthony Nc
Donnell, the first national assistant Irish
secretary. He it was who drafted the bill.
Horace Plunkett. Lord Iveagh. Lord Ash
bourne and many unionist members Joined
the group.
The Duke of Abercorn. the most powerful
landlord in Ireland asked to be introduced
to John Redmond and n mutual friend
brought the duke to the leader of the ma
tionaliSt party. with whom the leader or
the Irish landlords heartily shook hands,
and they patched up the peace of Ireland
over the house of commons refreshment
bar
Earl Dunraven. who with John Redmond,
days procedure. slipped out quietly to
avoid congra tula tons. He said to the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent: Il believe the
bill viii meet the requirements of all par
ties. Though I have not had chance to
read them and cannot speak definitely con-
corning the details of the measure. it GER
tainly seems as though a new era was
dawning on a new Ireland. Mr.. Wyndham
to a great extent has been following the
lines of our conference. I think that the
landlords and tenants. with perhaps some
slight amendments, will be able to agree to
the main principles of the bill"
Duke Of Abercorn's Views.
The Duke of Abercorn said: "Today's
proceedings are certainly matter for con-
graduation. I hope that the provisions of
the bill when carefully studied will be
carried out. 1t looks as though the ancient
hatchet had been buried"
John Redmond said he was unable to add
anything to his utterances in the house,
but he seemed in quite hopeful mood.
Various members of his party frankly dis
cussed Mr.. Wyndham's plan. The omis-
sion of adequate provision for those ten
ants already evicted. doubts whether the
landlords would accede to the terms of the
measure. and objections to the choice of
Mr.. Wrench as one of the three estate
commissioners seem to be the chief diff
culties but all the nationalist members ap-
peared to be agreed that the bill went far
Their toward putting Ireland on a prosper
Gus basis than any before introduced espe-
clally as the system is intended to be ad-
ministered on commercial rather than on
judicial basis. Hitherto all the land
claims have come under the Instrumentation
or the judges, whose decisions could not
be questioned. y
The only skeleton at this political love
feast was Michael Davtt who from the
public gallery, aloof from his former com
rades, listened to proposals which opposed
all his economic ideals.
Bill Sure to Pass.
1t is already conceded as absolutely GER.
tain that the bill will pass, although it
may be modified in it's minor details
There Is a strong disincination on the
part of the Irish and liberal members to
discuss the bill until it Is thoroughly di-
eested. except In the most general terms
Michael Davitt and T. p O'Connor. how
ever gave the following signed statements:
judgment can be passed on the govern
ments Irish land bin until the full text
or the measure can be read carefully and
studled. The impression left in my mind
by the speech of the chief secretary for
Ireland is that the bill he outlined offers
unreasonable compensation to the land
lords. and therefore does not offer suf,f-
cent inducement to buy their holdings on
these terms-terms which appear to me to
be fully ten years purchase above the
market value of the Irish landlords prop
erty. However, it is possible that there
may be some provision in the bill, when we
can see 1t in print, which will offer some
minor advantages to the tenants and coun-
try that may, to some extent redeem the
Objectionable terms provided for the land
lords: The one consoling feature of this
latest attempt of the British parliament to
settle the Irish land question is the proof
1t offers that the Celtic people of Ireland
have compelled an English landlord gov
ernment to provide money with which to
10 A,~<l
Ireland. l. of course, take an extreme or
combative view of the land question and
think that 1t is the tenants of Ireland and
not the landlords who ought to receive the
bonus which the bill provides for the Irish
supporters of his majesty's government
A Long and Hard Fight.
THE economic conditions of the Irish
agricultural industry, face to face with the
combined competition of A,aarica, Canada,
Australia and Argentine, where no rents
are paid to the landlord class, make 1t
practically impossible for Irish food pro-
ducers to pay the burdens which the 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.
AS whole, think that our friends in the
United States who have done so much to
help us bring this fight for Irish land to
the present somewhat hopeful outlook, will
IOilOW the eNdInple OF OUT leaders and re-
serve their opinion on the merits of the
measure. The fight has been long and
harder than many fights in the open. Men
have been killed, hearts have been broken,
and many lives ruined before even the par
tial victory of today has been won. l can.
not see my way to agree to the bill as 1t is,
but when remember that In 1879 served
my first term of Imprisonment for propos-
ing almost exactly what conservative
Irish secretary proposed today I realize
how times change.
This partial triumph is merely a fore
runner of home rule. 1t is an inevita Bile
revolution. Far be 1T from me to stand
in the way of anything that may be held
even slightly to bring that about"
The Views of T. P. O'Connor.
T. P. O'Connor writes: 1T believe that the
bill will go into committee: that Is to say,
there is sufficient good in 1t to make it diff
fcult, IL not impossible, for the nationalists
to reject it. One hundred million pounds of
English credit and something like Els,
600 in bonus are given to substitute peas
ant ownership for landlordism. 1t is true
that Ireland will subscribe her share of
the f15.O0O 600 bonus; true, that a purely
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