The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-07
Will the Irish Land Purchase BIZ
Become n Lawc

viii the Irish Land Purchase Bill
Become Law?
When the Land Purchase bill came up
In the House of Commons for second
reading on May it was announced by
Mr.. JOHN L. REDMOND that the Irish
Nationalists would withhold support of
the measure unless the Government &C
nepted some at least of the amendments
demanded by the Dublin convention of
the United Irish League. Should the
Nationalist party take up such position,
It is probable that the bill would be with
drawn, as it is known to be unacceptable
TO a considerable section of the Unionists.
Indeed, the rejection of the bill was
moved and seconded by Conservative
members.
In the eyes of Irish Nationalist the
project is defective in many particulars,
out especially in three. In the first place,
the tenants are called upon to pay much
larger price for their holdings than the
maximum suggested by Mr.. T. W. Rus
IELL, who, nevertheless, was willing to
propitiate the landlords by paying more
than the lands were worth if their value
was to be calculated according to the last
judicial rents. Of late the average rate
Of purchase in the open market has been
seventeen years of the rents fixed at the
second revision by the land courts. BY
the bill now under discussion the price
has been placed at very much higher
figure, on the ground that even twenty
ave years purchase of the revised rents
would not discharge the encumbrances
upon many estates. The tenants seemed
to be willing to pay somewhat more than
the actual market price, but, if very much
more is to be given to the landlords, most
Of the difference ought to be covered, the
tenants hold, by bonus from the I'm
perial Exchequer. The present bill
limits the bonus to SEQ, 100000, a sum
which would leave tenants chargeable
with an amount of purchase money
equivalent to great deal more than the
market price. Nobody, indeed, expects
the landlords to accept less than they
have agreed to take, because q sale, even
on the terms prescribed by the bill, would
leave many of them very little cash af-
ter encumbrances had been discharged.
What the Nationalist demand is that the
bonus payable from the Imperial Ex-
chequer shall be doubled, or at least
materially increased. We believe that
the Balfour Government will make con-
pession on this point, notwithstanding
: The protests that are beginning to be
heard from British taxpayers, and that
find expression from the mouths of Con-
Bervative members.
Another Nationalist objection to the
Land Purchase bill in its present form is
that it discriminates against the tenants
There Is not the slightest attempt to put
pressure upon the landlords They are to
that, il they refuse to sell, they will have
to confront third revision of rents by
the Land Courts eight years hence. The
tenants, on the other hand, are subjected
to q certain amount of pressure, for the
bill provides that if they refuse to buy
when their landlord declares Il willing
ness to sell, they will be elebarred from
This seems inequitable, and we imagine
that on this point also the Balfour Gov
eminent will give way.
A third and very serious objection ia
based upon the fact that no special and
adequate provision is made for tenants
in the congested districts on the west
coast of Ireland. Mr.. JOHN f. REDMOND
pointed out on May that the sections of
the bill relating to these districts were a
crushing disappointment. Mr.. WYND-
HAM, the Chief Secretary to the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland, who is RESPONSE
BILE for the bill, had expressed the opinion
that in these districts the district boards
would expect the tenants to do something
toward working out their own salvation
They cannot do anything of the kind
They are simply unable to pay any rent
at all. Along the entire western sea-
board the state OF affairs is revolving
The people are planted upon patches that
are incapable of yielding anything re-
sembling subsistence for human beings.
They are in possession of the worst land,
while land prime in quality and plentiful
in quantity lies all around, but is used
for grazing. In these districts the ten
ants cannot be reasonably called upon
to pay rent for the land that they now
occupy. The grazing tracts must be
acquired by tho Government, cut up into
workable holdings and sold to tenants
removed from the congested districts,