"A SHAM AND A SWINDLE."

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 22, 25 September 1885, Page 21

"A SHAM AND A SWINDLE."

Mu. Michael Davitt, in company with Mr. John O'Connor, M.1., attended an enthusiastic demonstration held under the auspices ot the National League at Lismoro, near Kantuik, on {Sunday. Mr. Daniel M'Cab'-, Ballynaquirk, occupied the chair, and resolutions in favour of liish popular rights were passed. In the couise of hi speech in support of these resolutions Mr. Davitt made tlie following inferences to the Land Purchase Bill iutroluced by Lord Ashbjurne in the House of Lords on Friday week. We (Nation, July 25) quote from the Freeman :—: — •• The Tory Government intro Uice what they are pleased to call a Land Purchase Bill for the puipose ot facilitating the purchase of holdings by the farmers of Ireland. [ declare that such a bill is on the face of it a sham and a swindle, and t!i t its real title, if honmly expressed, would be a Lar.dloid i-tuhef Bill (civets and laughter). What is it really the landlords want io do* Lord Ashb >urne,l their spokesman, in tbe House ot Lords the other night, told asympathetc assembly of landlords that there were bomethiug like ],200 estates in Ireland iv the hauds of receivers— in other words, that there were about 1,200 bankrupt landlords in this happy land of ours (hear, hear, and laughter). This was letting the cat out of the bag with a veug'eance (renewed laughter). This was letting the cat out of the

bag with a vengeance (renewed laughter), and in the next breath he declared that all the Tory Government would ask from the Treasury would be the sum of five millions of money with which to make 600,000 tenant-farmers the owners of their farms in Ireland. Well, I need scarcely tell an intelligent audience like this that the five million pounds would go a very little way in so gigantic an undertaking as that. But five millions can do this — if they only get them they could relieve the 1,200 bankrupt landlords and enable them once more to go to Monte Carlo and other delightful places on the Continent. Of course, being the party in power, th n y have the keys of the Imperial Exchequer. This little landlord relief bill will be passed, and the five million pounds will be at the disposal of the bankrupt landlords, but on this condition only, that the tenant-farmers having holdings upon those bankrupt estates will be bosthoons or idiots enough to fall into the trap and become the indispensable machinery by which five million pounds will be put down far deep in the pockets of the bankrupt landlords. I don't know but there may be such omadhauns amongst the tenant-farmers of Ireland who may give way to tempt ition, but if they should do so I will tell them what will happen — they will be making a bargain that will tie them down lor forty-nine years to a judicial rackrent. They will have to pay this money not to the landlord that can be brought to hia senses iv Ireland, but to the English Government that will give no abatement whatever or listen to the popular voice of the country (hear, hear). But long before these forty- nine years come and go, long before a fourth ot that time goe9 along with the past, I predict from this platform here to-day that there will be no vestige of landlordism left in Ireland (cheers) ; there will be no idle class fattening upon an industrious people, there will be no aristocracy with its headquarters in Dublin Castle ruling and ruining this lovely land of ours ; long before then the men who toil and spin, the workers of Ireland, will have the management of their own affairs (cheers) ; and across amongst our thick-headed English neighbours over the way we will find a similar state of affairs (hear, hear). We will find the democracy having the reins of power, and with the people having, the reins of Government in their hands, and with the people having the managements their own affairs, depend upon it the landlordsjof those three couutiies will receive very little compensation (loud cheers). If the landlords or landlord Tory party were honestly inclined to the tenant farmers of Ireland what should they do in view of the position which the farmers will occupy next winter 1 They would recognise this — that it would be simply impossible for the Irish farmer to pay rent next November, and keep his family and crop his land antil next year (hear, hear). In fact, there is no 6uch thing as rent produced in Ireland this year, and, constquently, what does not exist, or what has not been brought forth from the soil, cannot in justice be given to ih« landlords ; and, therefore, if the landlord Tory party want to show themselves more your friends than their opponents let them recognise this fact and do an act of justice to the tenant farmers of Ireland which will cost thmn something out of their pockets, and then we may believe iv their sincerity (applause).