JOHN BULL'S OTHER ISLAND. 205 



half an acre or an acre of land attached. 

 From 40,000 to 50,000 of these cottages have 

 been let at rents varying from as low as 7d. 

 to 2s. 8d. per week, but taking them on the 

 average we might say that in Ireland a rural 

 proletarian can get a five-roomed cottage with 

 an acre of land for Is. a week. This low rent 

 is, of course, an uneconomic one, but in 

 order to prevent the labourer from emigrat- 

 ing to America the Irish farmer and land- 

 owner are willing to add a subsidy from the 

 rates to supplement the grant from Imperial 

 taxes. 



Wages are low in Ireland where there is 

 little difference between the economic position 

 of the labourer and the farmer. They do not 

 run to more than Is. 6d, per day. The farmer 

 does not suggest paying higher wages in order 

 that the labourer should be able to pay an 

 economic rent, because the farmer is probably 

 as poor as the labourer, and in some cases 

 poorer. Shocking as this may appear to 

 orthodox political economists, it should be 

 remembered that the same principle has 

 operated in England ever since the passing of 

 the Agricultural Rates Act ; for in England 

 the village tradesman and the country doctor 



