New-York tribune., 1903-01-21
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. PLAN.


Already 1908. young as it is. deserves TO rank
as an annus mirabilis It has seen the sup
poseiy impossible effected. Landlord and ten
ant in ireland have agreed. Unionist and Ma
tionaIist have clasped hands in an agreement
to ..settle the Irish question The Earl OF
Dunraven and Mr.. John Redmond have together
signed a report embodying plan for 'healing
the wounds of centuries Lord Mayo and MI.
Timothy Harrington have likewise signed it.
Mr. William O'Brien has not only signed IL, put
he has moved vote of thanks and congratula-
tions TO Lord Dunraven Yet the Treaty of XII
mainham and the Phoenix Park murders are
little more than score of years away!
Let us observe the provisions and the purport
of this amazing plan which is thus causing lion
and lamb 10 lie down together. 1t begins with
assuming as indisputable that the land ques-
tion ought to be settled without delay, and that
it can be settled only on basis mutually salts
factory to landlords and tenants "a little while
ago some were saying the landlords had no title
to consideration.) Upon such basis Lord Dun
raven and Mr. Redmond and their associates
are agreed that a system of peasant proprietor
shin should be established by direct dealings
between landlords and tenants, and that an
eolfitsble price should be paid to the landlords,
who should not be expatriated but induced TO
remain in the country. Qt was recently urged
that the land should be practically conhscated
and the landlords should be driven out OF the
country To enable such transactions they
urge that the British treasury shall lend the
purchase money, or guarantee it, on easy terms,
and shall in some cases pay outright the margin
of difference between what the tenants can or
will give and what the landlords can or will
take. This would cost the British taxpayer
something; perhaps good deal. But some OF
those who urge it are British taxpayers, and
they shrewdiy suggest that it will be a saving
scheme in pounds, shillings and pence, since
there will be a considerable decrease in the cost
OF maintaining conSta bulary aud administer
ing law in Ireland
There are other subsidiary provisions and va
rious technical details in the plan which need
not here be considered. The fundamental feat
ures of the scheme are such as we have de-
scribed. They would not seem startling were it
not for their amazing contrast with the utter
ances of the recent past. To see MeSSrs. Red
mond and Harrington and C'Brien declaring
that British landlords in Ireland merit consid-
Grafton must be treated equitably, should be
compensated for what they have lost through
recent land acts and should, above all, be in
duced to remain in Ireland-that is spectacle
calculated TO make men with memories wonder
if 1903 is not the first year of the Millennium
Doubtless the scheme will be opposed by many
in England and in Ireland. The London Times
we see is against it. Perhaps it needs some
notifications But a scheme unanimously
agreed upon by Lords Dunraven and Mayo,
Colonel Everard Nugent and Mr.. Hutcheson
Poe. on the one side, and Messrs. Redmond,
Harrington. O'Brien and T. W. Russell, on the
other is not to be lightly dismissed. If the
glowing anticipations of Mr.. Redmond concern
ing (which We have already set forth-shall
be fulfilled, it will be an epoch making plan,
and Lord Dunraven. as its chief promoter, will
be entitled to honorable fame, which Amerf-
cans will not begrudge him.