The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-03-28
HOPE FOR IRELAND
Ergland's New Lad Bill to Aid
Tenants to Purchase Farms.
4. FIRE. GRANT OF $4,000. 1000
Tenants Are to Pay Per Cent. on
Loans From the Government-ein
to Become Effective on Novem-

to Become Effective on Novem-
Der I.
London. March 25.-The Irish sccre-
tary. Mr.. Wyndham. introduced the
governments long anticipated Irish
land bill in the House of Commons
yesterday afternoon. II proposed a free
grant OF S60. 00O. 900 for the purposes OF
the bill. Tenants are to pay 3H pei
cent. interest on loans from the gov
ernment- Mr. Wyndham said he thought
the scheme would not involve $500. OO0.-
COO but that $3.50. OoO. 900 could safely
be advanced on Irish land The advan-
ces to tenants are limited to s.. 500 in
the cOngested districts and 81. 900 else
where.
THE government" said Mr. Wynd-
ham. attaches greater Importance to
the credit side of the bill than To the
free grant The annuities by which
the purchase will be secured will be- for
sixty-eight and one-half years The
untenanted land will be sold To neigh
boring tenants and any person who in
the previous twenty-five years has been
tenant in the neighhorhood
The bill also provides that unten-
anted farms and grazing lands shall be
sold 70 neighboring tenants and that
three commissioners, to be known a.
estate commissioners, shall supervise
the sales The names of the three com
missioners are Michael Finucane. sec
rotary To the governmentof Bengal rev
.nue department. Frederick 5. Wrench
&c "a.
ers. and William r. Bailey. one OF the
assistant commissioners on the Irish
and commission. They will be under
the general control of the lord heuten-
ant OF ireland. The bill will become
effective November I.
The keen interest felt in this new
legislation which. il Is hoped will pro
mote 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. Michael Davitt the Father"
of the land league, celebrated his 57th
birthday by re-entering the house for
the first time since he ceased to be
member TO hear the chief secretary of
Ireland unfold his plans.
For the most part the Liberal men,
bers sat glum. the applause coming
from the Irish benches A hush of ex-
pectation iell onNthe assembly as John
Redmond. the Irish leader. rose to
speak. II 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-com-
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 others criticised the
details and various omissions in Mr..
Wyndham' plan, wound up with a gut
tural and reluctant admission that 1T
Is a great bill"
The passage of the first reading of the
oil was followed by a rush to the
lobby. where ensued scenes that might
well make the ghost of ParneI turn in
his grave
The ta-l form of lord Dudley. lord
iCutChoiiN Vi lieidnus cOulu De seen
amidst a crowd of Nationalists. who
scarcely year ago would rather have
suffered every penalty than associate
with the official head OF the Irish gov
eminent Beside Lord Dudley stood
the grizZled little Sir Anthony McDon-
nell the first national assistant Irish
secretary. He il was who drafted the
bill. Horace Plunkett, Lord Iveagh.
| Lord AshbOUrn and many Unionist
members joined the group The Duke
of Abercorn. the most powerful land
lord in Ireland. asked to be introduced
to John Redmond. and a mutual friend
brought the Duke TO the leader of the
Nationalist party. with whom the lead
er of the Irish landlords heartily shook
hands. and they patched up the peace
Of Ireland over the House of Commons
bar.
The Duke of Abercorn said: 1.-THE
proceedings are certainly a matter for
congratulation. | hope that the provi-
sions of the bill, when carefully stud
led. will be carried ont. II looks as
though the ancient Ratchet has been
buried"