New-York tribune., 1909-11-08
LAND OW WNERSHIf
Ghostly Counsel-Large Meas
nres of Land Purchase.
London. october 20.

the budget that revived the confidence OF
Tariff Reforners. Birmingham Union
lists ehesred until they we're hoarse over
this striking proof that their veteran
leader had not lost his pluck and lighting
power: and the party throughout the
kingdom was reinvigorated with whoie-
some tonic. Yet when meetings were
held on the Unionist side the necessity
for eounteracting the Radical measures
OF social reform was recognized
Gaseous defamation against socialism
and revolution was not enough some
thing constructive on the lines OF Tory
Democracy was requisite. II the masses
We're TO be attracted. Uni0nist can
vassers. while ringing the changes on
the iniauitiss ef the budget and the lack
OF employment. were warned that Tory
ism as well as Radiealism must have
something 20 offer to the democratic
electorate. The ghosts in the solitude OF
retirement from active politics have
known what was in the air. Mr.. Cham
beFIain and his lifelong follower Mr..
Jesse Ceilings, have joined hands ia rec
onmending a policy of land ownership
for cottagers and agricultural labOrers
They have been identified with il when
they We're themselves stalwart Radicals.
and they revert To IL as Tariff RefOrmers
in the hope that Mr.. Balfour may make
it cardinal principle Of the party plat
form.
The veterans in reality are advocating
an extension OF the system OF land ptlr-
chase from Ireland to England. Scotland
and Wales. Under the Wyndham act
about one-half of the land has been
transferred from landlords to tenants
and small farmers. and by Mr.. BirrelPs
bill the conversion OF the remainder Is to
be facilitated and accelerated by COM
pulsory processes and larger use of pub
lie credit The veteran leaders, encour-
aged by a hint in Mr. Balfour's Birmins-
ham speech. now propose the creation of
peasant proprietorship by similar means
Virtually they ask this ineisive question:
why should Irish eccupiers alone be
singled out for the BENEFITS Of land pur-
chaser" When there have been finan-
ciaI transactions OF tremendous magni-
tude for removing agrarian discomfort in
ireland there is no apparent reason why
te--td pulCnG5C SAlNGAL --SN - HNt-A~Er-N
in Great Britain.
Mr.. Ceilings. whose earliest bid Tor pO-
Iitical reputation was the coming Of the
phrase three acres and q cow now
favors land purchase as an authorized
part OF the Cnionist programme. He
contends that the colonization OF rural
England for the beneht OF the men them
selves will be a wiser policy than the
shipment OF eargoes of emigrants TO for
eign countries and TO The colonies. "Our
countryside" he remarks. would be-
come repeopled and a real peasantry
would gradually appear who would be
an invaluable factor in the economy Of
the nation" Mr.. Chamberlain fully
agrees with his oldtime henchmen that
while Tariff Reform will be the saliva
tiOn of the inhabitants OF towns agri-
cultural reform on the basis OF peasant
proprietorship in the rural districts is
he only plan by which Hodges fort
unes can be redeemed
The ghosts do Rot believe that the
Unionists can win their campaign II
they must pa 1e a soeia' programme OF
their own. with tariff reform as a con-
venient system for financing it. In
stead of offering resistance TO old age
pensions. Industrial insurance schemes.
labor registries and other mea sUres for
the benefit Of the artisan class. they
must faver all these policies and any
ether promising experiment which has
been tried either in Germany OF in the
IL,
their own comprehensive system for the
defence of the home market and for the
increase of employment in domestic in
dustries As for agricultural IabOrers.
they must have their place in the Union
ist scheme for the social regeneration Of
Great Britain. There must be state aid
for them as well as Tor the Irish ten
antry.
The scope of the small holdings acts
must be enlarged SO as 20 secure land
ownership on a stupendOus scale and
the restoration of the two oldtime
classes. yeoman farmers and peasant
proprietOrs. With promises Of better
employment at higher wages for arti-
sans, and of land 10 be purchased on
easy terms with state aid for agricult-
ural laborers. these veterans have or
ganized a campaign OF social reform in
which they are confident that labor lead
ers and progressive Radicals can be out
manouvred and discounted.
These wary veterans knOw-nOne bet
ter-that the kingdom is no longer ruled.
as in Chatham's time. by the mercantile
middle classes. The working people are
ia the saddle, both IN Industrial bor-
oughs and in agricultural shlres. They
make . deliberate choice between parties
and policies. and are influenced by self
interest more or less enlightened They
are not so easily frightened as the mid
die classes by yapOrous Trades against
socialism, and need to be convinced that
their own welfare win be promoted by
the success of one party or the other.
Mr.. Chamberlain and Mr.. Ceilings. II
they were able 10 address popular audi
ences. would endeavOr 20 convince them
that there is more 90 be got out OF Tory
democracy than out OF the coalition be-
tween radiealism and trade uniOnlsm.
II they took up their argument against
socialism they would be likely to assert
that the most effective method OF fight
ing IL is that OF POpularizing ccnserva-
usm and rendering IL more fruitful in