The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-06-27
Tells How the British Government Has
Loaned One Hundred Million of Dollars
to Ambitious Farmers.
Some There Are Who Presume to Describe
the Wyndham Act as "A Gigantic
Measure of Pacification.'

While the conditions of the agricul-
tural class in Ireland are by no means
ideal, a great deal has been done to
improve them, says William E. Curtis
in Dublin letter to the Chicago
Record Herald of June IA.
At the present rate of progress, how
ever, it will take from twenty to twen-
ty-five years. if not much longer, to
accomplish the results intended by the
Wyndham act of 1908, which was ex-
pected to bring about the Irish mil
lenniun1.
That act provides that an owner Of
a large estate may sell to his tenants
the holdings they occupy, and his un-
tenanted lands to anyone who desires
to buy 1t, in such tracts and at such
prices as may be agreed upon, cores
ponding to the income now derived
from that particular property. No
landlord can sell few acres here and
there Of good land under this act, al
though. Of course; he As at iiberty-to
dispose Of any part of his estate at any
slider proper. But the terms and privil-
eges of the Wyndham act can only be
enjoyed by community of tenants
in the purchase of the whole or a con-
siderable portion of an estate. A board
of commissioners which sits at IS
Merrion street, Dublin, is authorized
to use it's discretion in the application
Of the law and in granting it's privil
eges to those for whose benefit it is
intended. Nothing can be done with
out their approval. The landlord and
the tenants may arrange their own
bargains to their own satisfaction, but
they must be submitted to the board
before they are Carried out.
When such agreements are reached
and approved by the commission-in-
cluding the area sold, the price and
other terms-the government is ex-
pected to furnish the purchase money
from the public treasury. The land
lord is entitled to receive the cash in
full, and the tenant, who pays nothing,
gives a mortgage, as we would call
it. upon the property to the govern
unent for 6S years or less, and agrees
to pay an annal installment of 81
per cent. Of the purchase price, of
which ~ per cent is interest and "a
per cent. goes into a sinking fund to
cover the purchase money at the end
of 6S years.
A purchaser may pay off the mort
gage at any time he pleases, and re-
ceive a clear title to the land; or he
may sell it whenever he chooses, sub
ject to the mortgage which follows the
land and not the person. If he is un-
able to pay his annuities the govern
1nent can turn him out and dispose Of
the land. subject to the same terms
and conditions to another person. 1t
can make no allowance for crop fail
ures or cattle diseases. 1t cannot ex-
tend or modify its credits. The terms
of the loan must be carried out with
exactness. because. If the commission
had authority II make exceptions,
there would be general confusion. Thus
far since the act has been operative
the farmers have been fairly prosper
Gus and have been able to pay their
slight annuities. And as the landlords,
according to the report of the commas
sioners. are getting an average of 6S
per cent. more than they were recelv-
ing as rents for their land by the in
vestment of the purchase money. it
is entirely probable that time will
come when many of the tenants will
not be able to meet their obligations
or will refuse to pay their annuities to
the government. The whole scheme is
loaded with dynamite as many benev-
olent undertakings are. and all sorts
of complications are likely to arise be-
g-5 -