Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-10

there was an agitation in Kansas and
other parts of the west for the estab-
l1shment of agricultural banks with gov
eminent money, to be loaned to the farm
ers at nominal rates of interest, and the
total amount thought to be necessary was
billion dollars. which it was proposed
to raise by special issue of government
bonds. Before the Irish land policy OF
the British government is complete the
expenditures Will equal. If they do not
exceed. the sum proposed for loans to
American farmers. and by that time every
farmer in Ireland will have a farm of
his own; every agricultural laborer will
have an acre and cottage OF his own.
and every poor family in the barren re-
gions on the west coast will have been
moved to more favorable location and
provided with home and land sufficient
to support them. The total cost will be
about billion dollars, more or less, to
be advanced from the imperial treasury
and repaid in siXty-eisht annual INSTALL
ments.
Estimates for Future Purchases.
work Is now going ON. and in a speech
two hours long the other day Mr.. Bir-
rel explained the situation and the plan
of the government for meeting it. He
explained that S1o5. 900 900 had been all
leSdy pau. tIldl was OWlNS
to landlords who had already sold their
estates, and that $500 .Q0O. 900 more would
be necessary to complete the purchases.
Mr.. Wyndham, who Is the author of the
bill. said that $4,000 farmers had ap-
piled for the assistance of the govern
ment to purchase their holdings, and that
coo more would probably apply. out of
a total Of 100000 farmers in Ireland. His
estimates were not so high as those of
Mr. BirrelI: he believed that 1900. Goa, 900,
- f<A
sufficient, instead of 5000 900 600, as esti-
mated by Mr.. Birrell. He is convinced
that 90 per cent of the 10000 farmers in
Ireland would not apply for farms. and
that the average price Of the farms pur-
chased would not exceed $500
OF the farms already purchased the
average price in Leinster province was
G52S G2.64O In Munster f452 g., 300. in
Ulster E242 G1.21O and In Connaught
E21I G1,O5O. Connaught is the poorest
Of the poor provinces. and last year out
Of total of $4,000 farmers who applied
only 1000 came from Connaught. Taking
the most liberal estimate that he could
imagine. ssO0OO,O0O would be the maxi
mum required.
Landowners Will Take Bonds.
MIR. Birrell's bill provides for the imme-
date settlement Of the debt of $500. OOO,-
600 now owing to the landlords who have
already sold their estates, by Offering
them the option of taking bonds at the
market price Of the day, or partly bonds
and partly cash. The last loan negotiated
by the government for Irish land funds
at 20 per cent was placed at SS 5-S
on the dollar. and he believed that
if the landlords would agree to ac-
cept bonds instead Of the cash. or at
least for the greater portion of the pur-
chase money. that value could be main
tanned In the market. The Landlords
a fnr1 Hf ,f.,l,
mare is chairman, is understood to have
accepted these terms, and to have agreed
to take at least one-half of the money
owing to them In bonds at that rate.
Some OF the sellers are willing to take
the entire amount in bonds.
Landlords Must Sell
Another very important feature of the
bill introduced by Mr.. Birrell is a section
compelling the landlords to sell 10 ten
ants who wish to buy. Thus far the
transactions have been entirely volun-
tary. The government SO far mistook
the disposition OF the Irish landlords
when the original Wyndham act was
passed, as to offer a bonus Of IL per cent
OF the purchase price as an inducement
FOR them to part with their estates, and
even with such an inducement, Mr..
Wyndham estimated that So, 200, 900 a
year would be sufficient purchase money
HC uNc years allowed Dy the bonus pro-
vision have just expired. and Mr. Birrell.
in his speech, shows that $4,000. 900 have
been paid, or are due, on that account,
and that the average sales have been
SU.OOOOD year instead Of SIS, OO0, 900.
Nevertheless. the owners of several i'm
portant estates refuse to sell, the most
conspicuous being the Earl Of Clanri-
carde. one OF the most brutal and Often
sive landlords in Ireland. He succeeded In
obtaining ruling OF the courts that he
was not compelled to part with his land
unless he chose to do So II the pending
bill passes. Clanricarde and every other
landlord who has refused will be com
PEELED to sell upon an appraisement made
by the courts.
Disclosures in Birrell's Speech.
There are many interesting disclosures
in Mr.. Birrells speech. For example, he
tells us that the Duke of Leinstcr, who is
the richest man in Ireland, received
$4O0. 600 in cash as bonus for his volun-
tary sale to his tenants upon terms
which. no doubt, represented the full
value of the property. This was free
gift in addition to the purchase price,
and was supposed to be necessary as
an Involvement to the landlord to sell.
lands for 81 ,047 1875, received a bonus Of
about 1926, 600. The latter is son-in-
law of Eugene Zimmerman of Cincinnati,
who is supposed to be the chief bene-
ficiary. because he has been buying up
the mortgages on the estates of his SON
in-law to protect his daughter and her
children.
The new bill receives the support of the
liberal ministry, the Irish party In the
house of commons and the Irish land
lords. who are anxious to get their
money.