The Irish standard., 1909-09-11
A SUMMARY Of WORK ACCOMPLISHED Il
BY THE IRISH PARTY IN 80 YEARS
Mr. Nolan NJ P Explains the Birre Land Bill Farmers and
Laborers Of the County Of Louh and Enumerates What
Advantages Ireland Have Already Been Gained Through the
Efforts of United Party.

At . large gathering Of the Yoe-
many Of Louth, recently held In the
historic town of Drogheda, Mr.. Nolan,
M. p, delivered an interesting adj
dress, saying in part:
We were told some time ago by GER
tain sceptic critics that as soon as the
farmers had bought out their land they
would bid adieu 20 the national move
ment. never believed that-(applause)
and the presence Of so many repres-
entatives of the farmers here today
gives the lie to the statement (renewed
applause). I am glad also to find the
agricultural laborers represented here
(applause). They have always been
amongst the truest and most sterling
friends of the national movement, and
they are not likely to fail in this the
hour when she wants the assistance
Of all her sons (applauso). l am glad
also to see Drogheda represented by
both the trading and working sle-
ment (hear, hear. 1t is very reas-
surfing to anyone having the national
cause at heart to find this spirit alive
in the hearts Of the people. 1t means
business. This movement of ours hal
for its ultimate object the gaining Of
National sel1- Government Cloud np-
plause). Without that everything else
would be as mere nothing. At the
same time the immediate and pressing
work that is before us in connection
with the Land Bill, which will again
come before the House of Commons to-
morrow, and let me say that the work
of those who are trying to amend the
Land Act OF 1908 will be helped on by
the people at home in Ireland taking
up resolute attitude with regard to
the land question here (applause).
With regard to the new Land Bill, 1t
is being introduced for the purpose of
amending the Land Act Of 1908. There
is this regular feature to be observed
about the various Acts that are passed
| by the British parliament, that no
sooner has the Act come into opera
ton than it is found 1t has grave and
serious defects. In fact, the way in
which the British government deals
with Ireland in the matter Of legisla-
ton reminds me Of the old lady who
never gave away a pair Of breaches
without first cutting of the buttons
Oaughter). There never had been an
Act passed by the British parliament
for Ireland that has not been full of
flaws and defects, and SO it is bound to
continue. The British parliament is
constitutionally incapable of legislating
for Ireland--(applause)- hence the
necessity for what we ask, that Ia Ma
tional Self-Government QOud ap-
plause). Let us take the history of the
land legislation for the past thirty
years. We had the ACT Of 1881, a very
useful Act certainly, but by no means
perfect. Then, in 1887, we had fur
Their Act to amend the Act Of 1881.
The Act of 1887 was in operation for
some four years, when there was an
other Act passed for the purpose of
amending it. Five years elapsed, and
it was found there was necessity for
another amending Act, and we had the
Act Of ,96. AS you know, we had seven
years afterwards the great and ambi-
tious measure of 1908, which is COM
monty known as the Wyndham Act
1t, too, was found incapable OF doing
the work for which 1t was intended
and now we have got Bill before
Parliament for the purpose Of amend
ing the Act Of 1908.
This new Bill has had many critics
1 don't say 1t is without it's defects
; but at the same time we must recog-
Mise that when passed into law 1t will
have many advantages for the Irish
people (hear, hear). We have beer
told that 1t will put stop to land
sales. AS q matter Of fact the land
sales are stopped already-stopped fol
J, want Of money (hear, hear. Fifty-twe
million pounds worth Of property is ir
court at the present time. The land.
lords have entered into contracts t
; sell and the tenants to buy, and thu
transactions cannot be carried out Tor
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