The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-18
GOSSIP FROM LONDON.
BY HENRY D EvEREAux.

oNDoN, January l. = 1t is hard
 for Americans to understand the
 C evils of the present land system which prevails In England. A recent case furnishes SO striking an object lesson that I purpose citing 1t as a complete illustra- ton. A farm on the estate of the Lanss- dale family of Houghton Hall, Yorkshire has been held for thirty-three years by MT Kemply. Since 1898 MT. Kempley has been farming 412 acres at a rent or $1450 year. His lease expires at Christmas, and 1t was proposed by the landlord to take from the farm seventy four acres and reduce the rent to $l,S5o Now, 4i2 acres at si,45O represent rent of xS.25 per acre; while 33S acres at $l,SoO would be $4 per acre. In other words MT Kempley's rent was to be raised about Ii per cent, and to figure which has not been reached by agricultural land in the neighborhood since the early seventies before rents began to fall. To make the matter worse, MT. Kemply contends that the seventy-four acres taken from the farm were the most valuable land upon it. MT. Kemply offered s1,26o, but after he had been kept waiting for an answer from July to November, his offer was re- fused.
 The case furnishes a striking object les son in the evils of the present land sys- tenn. During the thirty-three years that he has been son this farm MT. Kempiy has spent. according to. his own calculation, s14, 4SO on Improvements, and he states that his return for the whole period hard ly represents decent rate of interest on that money alone. Among the seven ty-four acres which 1t was proposed 10 take from him, at a reduction or only slVo in his rent. was piece of land which he had reclaimed at his own expense in the years 1s73-5, at cost of sS,375. In consid- eration of this outlay, and an expenditure of 5000 on farm buildings. the late own CT. MT. Charles Langsda1e, reduced the rent in 1888 from $l $50 to 1,300 and prom Ised that during his lifetime the rent should not be raised. In 1S99, however after his death, the rent was raised 10 s1 450 although six acres were taken rom inc farm Notwithstanding this, 1t Is now proposed to raise the rent of the whole farm to the amount of 50 cents per acre, and because he will not pay this tenant of thirty-three years standing Is driven from the home and land In which he has invested all his money and where he had fondly hoped that he would be able to end his days. There are many causes tending to the decay of agriculture in this country. but there Is not one so efectual as A system under which injustice like this can be inflicted upon the occupier and eultiyator, and no measures Tor the res- toration of prosperity to the agricultural districts can possibly attain their end as long as this system remains.
 A great many communications have reached me, and are still coming to hand from South Africa with reference to ir- resularities in the expenditure Of public money. The most common matter to which they relate Is the employment or soldiers and public property of one Kind or another for the personal benefit of officers. For instance, veterinary offi- cer. who has purchased a farm, Is said to have a number of men in the public ser vice for working for him, and to be keep ing his race horse in the veterinary stables This Is only one example out of many of which hear. When 1t Is out or the question, as in this case, to test state ments that reach me from correspond- ents. I cannot possibly make myself re- sponsible for the publication of their al- legations But I have heard quite enough to feel certain that a grea. many such ir- reguarities must be going on, and 1t Is evident that the military authorities ought to keep a sharp eye on officers in out of the way places who are able to take such advantages of their position. Some closer system of inspection Is re- auired in these cases. It Is not merely A question of the misuse of public money, but these abuses on the part of indiyid- uals In authority are calculated to de- moralize all those under them.
 
 The detention of six matters at Sydney. Australia, has put a new phase on "our nossessions" These matters are native born Englshmen; and were detained on board ship for week or so before being allowed to land, and have only been ad- mitted to the country as q favor by a special act of dispensation. This Is the agreeable result of a clause in the Aus tralian immigration restriction act which forbids the landing of any workman un- der contract to take service with a local employer, whatever the immigrants na- tionality The United States took this step the other day. Australia follows suit today. South Africa and Canada may follow at any minute. And it is only step from this to the prohibition of all inn migration, whether the immigrants are under contract or not. There are good reasons why we on our side should not regard such measures with any dissatis- faction, whatever we may think of their expedlency from the colonial point of view In my judgment the colonists are | fools. and we are the gathers by their | short-sight edness But whether we like | if ar whether we do not. we have no pow | or to interfere-no more power in the case of Australia or Canada than In that | of the United States, We can only be . sure that colony will always be, open