THE IRISH LAND QUESTION. 43 



for his rent. Those who had screwed their rents up 

 to the utmost would be least hurt, while whoever let 

 lowest would lose most. It would also at once 

 deprive all the more intelligent and improving 

 owners of every motive for improving their estates. 

 It is these men who have been and are now the 

 pioneers and leaders in all agricultural improvements, 

 the very improvements the country most needs. 

 To throw them overboard can produce but one 

 effect. 



But fixity of tenure has been tried. There are 

 many long leases everywhere. There are three such 

 cases in this neighbourhood. One adjoins my land. 

 The owner, living at a distance, thought he would 

 secure his rent and be satisfied, so he offered leases 

 for 1000 years. The tenants said it was not long 

 enough, and, thinking it did not make much odds to 

 him, he made it 2000. The tenants are of the average 

 sort ; they have much improvable land. In the 

 famine they very nearly failed. One small field of 

 one and a quarter acre reclaimed is the whole im- 

 provement done in the twenty-five years that I have 

 known the land. My tenants are richer men. In 

 the other cases the leases are for 200 and 100 years. 

 The tenants are neither worse nor better off than the 

 average. One lately sold out to go to America. 

 On being asked why, he said his landlord was good 

 and fair (as is the case a Eoman Catholic and a 

 Liberal) ; but the farm was not large enough to 



