The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-31
SCOTS CROANINC
UNDER BAD Law
LAND SYSTEM, WORST IN ALL
EUROPE, is DRIVING BEST
OF RACE OUT OF
COUNTRY.

London, May 31.-The question of
small holdings for Scotland has been
forced to the front by the census re-
turns i'm that country. on June .
Donald Maclean M. F.. for PEBBLES and
Sellirk, will introduce the Scotch
small holdings bill i'm the house of
commons-the same measure that has
been passed twice already by the
house.
A press representative saw Mr.. Mac
lean the other day and also other
Scotch NJ. P's, and obtained from
them the following views upon the
question:
Mr.. Donald Maclean Since |
have been member for PEBBLES and
Selkirk nothing has impressed me
more than the deserted state of the
countryside. In my judgment, no
question is more urgent than this.
II think the liberal government
ought to make 1t one of its first du-
ties to keep the finest peeasantry i'm
the world on the land from which
they are now being driven. ON June
z | shall move the second reading of
the Scotch small holdings bill. There
may be defects i'm the measure but
in its broad features II commends it.
self to the Liberals of Scotland
For this reason | do not want a
mere academic discussion. The bill
has already passed the house of com
mons twice. il has been before the
Scotch people at two general cleo
tions, and overcrowded as this session
Is believe great step forward can
be taken I'm this matter which is vital
to Scotland. by having the bill read a
second time.
my earnest hope is that II will then
be sent TO "a grand committee, for the
subject is so supremey important that
II cannot wait"
j. p. Hope. NJ. r.: "The clearances
In my constituency are as great and
as serious as they are i'm the High
lands. Although we are I'm the Low
lands. we have lost as many people
as they have in the crofting districts
Many men are going to Canada. Dur
ing my election, ! found that the de-
mand fof the small holdings bill was
as great as ever
a. c. Morton. NJ. r.: "In the coun-
ty which I represent we have $50. 900
acres, which the Crofters' commission
! iepoited in 1895 to be fitted for cul-
tivation. The same commission re-
ported that. I'm the six crofting coun-
ties-Invernes, Ross and Cromarty,
Sutherland Argyllshire. Caithness. and
Orkney and Shetland-there were
1.75O,0O0 acres which might be culti-
waited
but nothing has been done. and
the result has been that all the young
people have had to clear off. This is
shown by the returns of old age PEN
sions paid. The percentage of per
sons over 20 is higher I'm Sutherland
shire than I'm any other part OF Britain.
I have no hesitation I'm saying that
$4,000 more people could live there I'm
comfort. In my opinion. the govern
ment ought TO allow us time to pass
the small holdings bill this session"
+. A. Molterno. NJ. p: The decline
in the population of Scotland is no
surprise to me. There are no small
farms to be had; there is no ladder
by means of which n man can rise
indeed i'm some districts it is impossi-
BILE to get a house.
Can you wonder. then. that when
n Canadian emigration agent comes
along and tells these people about a
land where they can get freehold
farm on easy terms, they go? In my
county. Dumfries, we have some of the
finest men In the kingdom. and they
are being driven away from their
homes. because they cannot get bit
of land to till.
There is no country In Europe
where the land laws are so detri-
mental to the public good as they are
in Scotland Twelve persons own g.
400. 900 acres, which is equal to the
whole cultivated area of Belgium.
Seventy men own over 100000 acres.
which is equal To the cultivated area
of Denmark European economists
point to Scotland as the best modern
illustration of the ills that bad land
system will inflict upon people"