Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-24

lation from congested areas 70 otner
lands. and Generally for lettering the con-
dition Of the people inhabitins the con-
gested areas.
questions the commission held 116 public
hearings, at which several hundred per
| sons, representing all classes ana cohoI-
tions of Irishmen, submitted their views
and after considering this Information the
commission has rendered what in America
would BIZ regarded as an amazing report
An Amazing Report.
It recommends that the present COM
mission be enlarged by the addition OF
seventeen new members, four to be OF
ficials of the government, acting ex-
officio. seven to be nominated by the lord
lieutenant and nine to be elected by the
county councils Of the congested districts.
1t is to be a corporation responsible
neither to the king nor to parliament,
nor to the lord lieutenant. nor to the
other powers that create 1t, nor 10 the
people, but only to high heaven and It's
own conscience. It is to be endowed with
autocratic authority to seize any land 1t
desires and pay for 1t any price 1t con.
siders just and proper to the extent o!
s., 600, 600 year, and Is given an annual
appropriation of $1,5O0.OOO to pay the ex-
pense of removing to that land families
who are not able to support themselves
comfortably in the congested districts.
1t is authorized to expend not more than
$500 on any one family, md 1t cannot
disturb the owners of any farm which
is valued at $500 or less. In other words,
it is to equalize by force the farm prop
erty of Ireland so that nobody Will have
a place worth more than $500, and every
one will start even with that amount at
the expense of the state.
Many people who are accustomed to
Irish politics and Legislative tactics are
of the opinion that the report of the
commission was intended to shelve the
whole question and prevent any inter-
ference with the present methods of deal
ing with 1t by making recommendations
which no government or parliament could
agree to under any circumstances. have
seen no one who is sbold enough to be-
lieve that any of them will be adopted.
1t is the almost unanimous opinion that
the report will be carefully filed away in
that great mOrgue which contains SO
many suggestions of various kinds for
the welfare of the people of Ireland.
Much Valuable Information.
The report of the commission, however,
contains a great deal of interesting and
valuable information. 1t shows. for ex-
ample, that there are now .316 families
or probably 100000 persons in what are
known as the congested districts where
the agricultural resources are not suf-
ficient to support more than one-half that
number. and they recommend the removal
of 900 families to other portions of Ire
land where the land is more fertile: that
each family be allowed not more than $500
pay for removal and settling expenses in
their new homes, to be repaid In sixty
eight and half years. with interest at 3
1 md ldd n
per cent, and an additional payment of
imburse the government and take up at
maturity the bonds which are to be issued
| to raise the fund. They recommend that
powers to select and take possession of
any uncultivate land (including pastures)
| which they find available and pay for 1t
at an appraiSement which shall include
an indemnity for sporting rights and
also for possible increase of valuesin the
future. The government Is to pay the
costs of all the proceedings.
Provision is made for draining and re-
deeming as much swamp land as possible;
also for appointing a forestry commission
| to plant trees on all areas that cannot be
used for agriculture or pastures; and an
| other commission to see to the preserva-
ton and increase of game and fish. 1t is
also recommended that efforts be made to
| induce as many people possible TO de-
vote themselves to catching, curing and
hacking fish, Holsters. ETC., in order to re-
| lieve them from dependence upon the
| land. Fish are very abundant upon the
west coast of Ireland. but there is COM
paratively little fishing done because the
people are too poor to buy boats and
| ackle or to build lighthouses and other
| buildings necessary for packing the fish
or landing places where the catches may
| he handled. 1t requires considerable ca pi-
| tai to make the fishing business pay, and
| it can be profitably carried on only upon
a large scale. which is beyond the power
| and the experience of the poor people on
| the west coast. The commission proposed,
however, that the government organize CO.
operative societies OF fishermen and ad-
vance them the capital to go into the bust
ness 1t also recommends that money be
advanced. individuals and companies that
will go into the busin of building boats,
making barrels and other packages for
he shipment of fish and the manufacture
of nets in which to catch them
Several Minority Views.
The report is not unanimous. Several
Of the members submit minority views, the
most important of which are those from
Sir Anthony Mcdonnell under secretary
for Ireland for many years and perhaps
the best qualified member of the COM
mission He says that he Is in hearty
sympathy with the spirit of the report.
but cannot concur in many of its premises
or conclusions. He proposes that the
objects desired can be accomplished by
existing agencies much better than by
a new commission of such unwieldy size
and appointed in such. manner. He
thinks that a commission of three men,
bers is much better than one OF twenty
and recommends that f1.2J0,OO year
be devoted to the purchase or lana where
the owners are willing to sell without
compulsion: that f16OOO be appropriated
annually to the agricultural department
for the purpose of encouraging the nsh-
cries and that s4OOOO be devoted to the
agricultural and techpical education of