The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-31

nually toward purchase of their hold
ings than they had paid formerly in
rent. Was it worth while?
SELF SUPPORTING COMMUNITY
Clare island is not an abode of lux
ury, or even of prosperity, as the
American farmer understands it. But
it has been Transformed from an abode
and self-respecting community. In the
old days the people were so desper-
ately poor that they were forced liter
ally to defy the laws. A writ for debt
was utterly useless, because no one but
the Inhabitants knew who owned the
cattle pastured on the common, and the
baiiiff dare not seize the animals in
discriminatory. Since the readjustment
and the change from tenants to owners,
the people pay their just debts prompt
ly; they are as peaceable as those in
any other part of ireland and as COM
Portable as the Inhabitants of such an
inhospitable land can be. They must
still struggle to live decent1y, but ait
least the rewards of their labor go to
themselves and not TO a rapacieus abb
sentee landlord.
The French estate had been pur-
chased and dealt with before. and the
Leonard estate was taken: over later.
These three properties totaled $3.50
acres. Several others were added in
1897 and 1898, but it was the purchase
of the huge Dillon estate in 1899 which
marked the end OF small experiments
and the Inauguration OF the huge
scheme of resettlement which has been
in operation since my former. visit TO
Ireland. The Dillon estate consisted of
no less than SO, 900 acres. with 1900
tenants, who paid rentals aggregat-
ing 100000 a year. Most of the land
was poor, and most of the farms were
''unecOnomic''-that is, they did not
yield a sufficient return to maintain
the occupiers at a decent standard of
living.
Yet even this great task was per-
formed without loss to the board, and
to the infinite benefit Of the people. The
total purchase price was 81 ,625 900, and
S350.0OO was expended on improve
Inents. Nevertheless, the 1900 tenants
were virtually all provided for with
greatly improved holdings, the annual
purchase price they pay being less than
their former rents, while the board re-
covered not only the amount paid the
landlord, but the cost of improvements
as well.
HAPPY AS CHOIR OF ANGELS
Unfortunately, there was little UNI
tenanted land in the neighborhood of
the estate. and only few of the ten
ants. could be moved. But by the build
ing of roads and fences. and the con-
structiOn of extensive drainage works
the direct value and fertility of the
land were so greatly enhanced that the
condition of all the tenants was vastly
improved. Probably half of the farms
are still uneconomic, but half of these
Will gradually be made economic within
a few years by better agricultural
treatment. Meanwhile the Dillon estate
tenants are virtually owners of their
lands, and are "as happy" as one of
them said to me seven years ago, "as
choir of angels" One of the most
important improvements. OF course, has
been the erection of some hundreds OF
neat, comfortable homes in place of
the wretched houses formerly used.
These we shall describe as we make a
tour of the big property in later ar
ticles.
Prior to the passage of the land act
of 1903, the board purchased 46 estates,
with a total area of about 1880 acres
and tenants numbering more than $500.
The total purchase price was about
s2,S5O,OO0 and $3.50. 600 was expended
in improvements. (The board paid for
purchased lands out of advances made
by the land commission. AS each hold
Ing was resold to a tenant, the COM
mission wrote off a corresponding part
OF the debit On all these large under
fakings the boards loss was SI75, 900.
The act of 1903 marked new stage
In the work. 1t not only increased the
financial provision, but gave the board
q freer hand in buying untenanted
lands and migrating families from con-
gested districts But it had numerous
defects, and these the Irish parliament
try party seeks to remedy in the bill
Aow pending.