The San Francisco call., 1909-07-25
Pending Land Bill Is Of
Vast Moment to Ireland
Redmond Says the Irish Party IS Willing To
Meet Landlords Half Way
Continued from Page IL

the terms most frequently employed
by these classes in describing the
sweeping tax reforms proposed in the
financial bill. 1t is in many respects
unjust to Ireland, but as Mr.. Redmond
said today, every budget since the act
of union in 1900 has been grossly un-
just to Ireland, and this one has i'm
portant features which make it worthy
of support. Pledging strong opposi-
tion TO the Objectionable provisions,
the leader explained why the measure
as whole would have the support
of the Irish members. and told of the
fight that begins next Friday for the
much needed land bill.
Americans who want to know what
ireland is lighting for Will find the
cause well stated in the following ex-
tracts from his speech. He said frst
The budget (the government scheme
Tor the current period is unjust to
ireland. But with the exception Of
that of last year. which took $1,000 600
on the sugar duties in Ireland and gave
ireland $12,500.00O in old age pensions
every budget since the union has been
unjust to ireland. And 1 tell You that
VIII continue, no matter what party is
IN power. until we get home rule The
only way to stop the robbery OF Ireland
by English budgets is for the Irish peo-
pie to make the Irish nationalist army
united force to obtain self govern
ment for our country"
Mr.. Redmond then explained the feat
ures which the wealthy classes are de-
nouncfng. The protested land taxes,
he said, do not fall on agricultural
land. He continued:
First of all there is what is called
a tax on unearned increment The
land owned by the wealthy ground
landlords near Dublin, for example, g
geperation ago was valued as mere
agricultural land. Since then thev have
not put a sixpence into it by way of
Improvement; they have lived in Eng
land, leaving the land here. But the
communicable people-by the works
they have paid for by the building of
roads and streets and water works and
tramWays, the laying of electric lights,
etc, have made this land worth four,
six and ten times as valuable as it was
couple of generations ago. All the
increased value has been made with
out the expenditure of penny piece
by the landlords. The budg get proposes
TO tax these increased values, and l say
1t is a just tax.
Second, there is the reversion tax
This is levied when a long lease falls
in. giving the landlord possession not
only of his land, but of all the build
ings and other improvements the ten
ant has made. This, too is just tax
Finally, there is the tax on unde-
Veloped land. The budget proposes to
tax lands near towns where that land
is urgently needed for the wants Of
the people, and where the landlord re-
fuses to sell. The tax is to be esti-
mated on the capabilities of the land
That, ! say, is justFtax also. for these
great landlords. without a penny, gain
enormously through the enterprise and
capital of the people OF the towns near
which their lands lie"
These tax reforms show how radical
is the program of the liberal govern
ment. The Irish party is not RESPONSE
bic for the provisions, but the leaders
assuredly have a good case In support
ing them, In view of the fact that they
represent the working class of the peo-
pie and are opposed at every turn by
the land owning class. Furthermore
the Irish party has won the concession
that half at least of the proceeds
of the new taxes shall be paid back to
the counties from the imperial treas
ury, and shall be used in bettering the
housing of working families in the
towns.
Turning to the pending land bill
which makes very important amend
ments to the Wyndham land purchase
act of 1903, Mr.. Redmond declared that
the whole future of Ireland depended
upon its passage. He said:
If 1t be not passed, land purchase
comes to a full stop; hundreds of thou
sands of pounds a year must fall upon
the tax payers of Ireland; all hope will
be taken away from the congested dis
tricts, and the land war in it's most
aggravated form. will be renewed For
our part, we are anxious to meet the
landlords half way. We recognize that
it is a landlord question as well as q.
tenant question. and we will aid them
in getting the best terms possible from
the treasury. But to reject this bill
would be absolute madness on their
part. 1t would reopen the Irish land
war, and let the landlords remember
that they will be the chief sufferers.
shrink from the prospect of what will
happep if this bill shall be defeated.
But l say emphatically to the landlords
that if they want war then war they
shall have"
The cheers that greeted this declara-
tion showed how strongly public opin-
ion is with the Irish parliamentary
party in its struggle. And there was
as hearty cheer moment later when
the leader referred to Independence
day. This is the report of his remarks
as given in the Freeman's Journal of
Dublin:
Fellow countrymen this is the
fourth of July (cheers) independence
day; that is, the day on which America
honors her independence and the driv-
ing OF the English from her shores.
All over the vast continent of America
today and all over the world where an
American is to be found, he is cele-
brating the independence of his coun-
try (hear, hear. That independence
was won largely by the aid of Irish
valor and Irish blood. That has never
been forgotten by America, and the
result is that today America stands at
the back of ireland (hear. hear).
There is today in Ireland-I had
hoped he would have been on the plat
form here today-Hugh Sutherland.
who has come here to write series of
articles on Ireland and Ireland's cause
(hear, hear). 1 wish he were here
today to meet the people of Wicklow.
'I will take back to him from this
meeting an assurance from the people
of Wicklow that they are satisfied.
recognizing the weapons they have had
TO fight with, recognizing the foes that