Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-22


and they have no authority or funds to
increase their staff. It Is entirely in the
hands OF the treasury in London. where
understand the question Is now under con-
sioeratlon, although we do not any
evidences of action at present. We are
assured that the government is looking
AFTER these matters and that the treasury
mas them on Its mind. and we can only
nope that 1t Will come to some conclu-
SION very promptly because We and not
the English people are the sufferers
We have appointed this committee to
confer with the government and make
Such suggestions as may occur 10 lls as
wise and eXpedient. first to secure funds
10 pay for the estates already sold amount
ing to 100000. for which there are no
funds available. and second Ia secure the
increase of the working staff of the es-
tates commissioners SO that the business
now pending may be closed up as soon as
possible
The Wyndham land act is not the first
experiment of the kind. II is not the first
attempt of the government To break UP
the big estates of Ireland into small farms
and homes for the people who are now
working them under the present system.
Mr. W. F. Bailey. one of the commits
sioners who are carrying out the pro-
visions OF that act, gave me an interest
ing sketch of the history of the move
ment the other day from the date of the
passage Of what is known as The Irish
Church Act in 1869. which was the origi-
nal endeavor TO create a peasant-pro-
prletor system by the aid of state loans.
The Irish Church Act.
Under the Irish church act said Mr.
Bailey. commissioners were appointed to
sell to the tenants of lands belonging to
the church their holdings at prices fixed
by the commissioners themselves. If the
tenant refused to buy on the terms Of
fered the commissioners were authorized
to sell to the public for at least one
fourth and as much more as they could
get in cash. and the balance secured by
mortgage to be paid off in thrty-two
years in half-yearly installments. They
sold farms to 6.Oo7 tenants and the gov
ernment loaned the purchasers total of
G1.614S41. which was issued by the COM
missioners of public works.
I'm 1870. the following year. what is
known as the landlord and tenant act
was passed by parliament under which
the commissioners were authorized to adj
vance two-thirds of the purchase money
agreed upon instead of one-fourth. to be
repaid in thrty-five years with ; per cent
interest. and all agricultural and pastural
lands in Ireland We're included in its pro-
visions. Under the act S77 tenants pur-
chased their holdings for a total of GS5a.-
600. of which the government advanced
GJ14. 526.
This act was amended i'm 1851 to pro-
vide that three-quarters instead of two
thirds Of the purchase money might be
advanced by the government on the same
terms and 131 tenants took advantage of
1t. The advances amounted to E240, Sol.
What was known as the AshbOurne
act was passed in 1857 appropriating the
sum of EI,G0N0 to enable the commits
SionerS to purchase estates for the pur-
pose of reselling them to the tenants and
others. and they were authorized to fur
nish the entire purchase money to be
repaid in annual installments extending
over a period of forty-nine years. with
interest at per cent. In 1858 an adj
dttional sum of G5.OOO,0OO was advanced
for the same purpose. and 2J.36S tenants
on l Bio estates purchased their holdings
with f9,992,64O advanced by the govern
ment.
Balfour's Effort in 1891.
These funds having been exhausted.
Mr.. Balfour. in 1891. introduced a new
system, under which the landlord instead
of cash was paid in guaranteed stock eX-
changeable for .consOls equal in amount
to the purchase money. and running for
thirty years. with interest at pa per cent.
This stock was guaranteed by the Irish
probate duty. the customs and excise
taxes and certain local grants. The
amount of stock that could be issued for
any county was limited. however, and
when that limit was reached the sales
had to stop. The advances under this
act were ESQ 145,34S.
THE act of 1891 was amended in 1896
in various respects. The annual install
ments were fixed at 4 per cent-2A per
cent being for interest and Ia per cent
to create a sinking fund for the repay
ment of the capital The number of
purchases arranged under this act was
1864 and the total amount advanced
was G1O.SO9, $40.
THE following table will give the num-
Der o. tenants who have purchased their
..nld tr.T frny hat In, -l, -.tl.
distance of Ire government under these
various acts and under the Wyndham act
Of 1903 from 1869 to the 31st of May, end
of the last fiscal year: