The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-22

revocably the principle of tenant part
nership right, but created court
which fixed the rents to be paid during
periods of Is years. How much of
downright robbery there was under the
old system may be deduced from the
fact that in the first readjustment the
court reduced rents 20 per cent. taking
an annual burden of $500 600 from
the shoulders of the people.
But for more than a generation prior
to this great victory the only perma-
nent solution of the desperate problem
had been under desultory discussion
from time to time. In 1847 Lord John
Russell advocated the proposal of John
Stuart Mill for making the peasants
proprietors Oh the lands they titled.
More than 20 years later, in 1870. a
timid move was made in the direction
of assisting the tenants to purchase
their farms. Parnell In 1878 made a
fight for the idea. and the act of 1881
marked certain small advance.
First Real Recognition
But the Ashbourne act of 1885 was
the first real recognition and adoption
of what is known as land purchase.
This act provided for the advancing
by the state of the entire sum neces-
sary to purchase lands. the tenants re-
paying 1t in 40 annual installments of
4 per cent. OF this Pa per cent was
interest and IL per cent went to the
sinking fund for liquidation of the loan.
Not more than 1000 tenants were
able to take advantage of the plan un-
der that act. but the principle had been
established, and since 1885 has been
constantly broadened and it's applica-
ton made more practical. In 1886
~ H. ST. - III
lords the terms of purchase in the Ash
bourne act, but the plan fell with his
home rule bill, to which 1t was at
tached.
The next important move was in 1891.
when Premier Balfour authorized the
appropriation of $165 100000 to extend
the operation of the Ashbourne act, I'M
der which expenditure had been limited
to s25,o0o,ooO. All of the purchase
money was to be advanced TO the ten
ants by the state through the issue Of
guaranteed land stock bearing nine
dividends of "a per cent. repayment
being made In 40 annual sums. Under
this act no less than 10000 tenants be-
came owners of their farms. 5000 more
than had been able to take advantage
of all the preceding acts.
Another Step Forward
In 1895 another great step forward
was made. The land act of that year
asserted the principle of compulsory
sale of bankrupt estates and length
ened the term of repayment to IS years,
the payments being reduced at the end
of each period of 10 years. And in
making the calculations every pur-
chaser started with q reduction of %
per cent on the rent he had hitherto
paid. This was the act in operation in
1902 when the writer visited Ireland.
About $4,000 farm holdings had been
transferred under it, but there were
still many defects.
The hardship of the great mass of
tenants, as described by the writer, led
to the passage of the Wyndham act of
1903. Under this the British treasury
advances up to $500. 900. 900 at q per
cent interest. with II per cent added
for the sinking fund. The advances are
made in cash by the estates commits
sioners and the tenants pay 81 per
cent of the sum annually. At this rate
they acquire ownership in 6sH years.
Instead Of paying, say, $50 a year rent
forever, the tenant pays $50 or s35 an
nually, with the certainty that his heirs
will own the property