84 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



I haye no personal interest in Ulster tenant-right 

 one way or other, but having watched it closely all 

 my life, I am convinced the gain of it is only to 

 the tenant who first gets it, having got his land 

 without having had to pay for it, or who is able to 

 stretch it, and so get a higher price than he paid for 

 the same value. In all other respects it is a loss to 

 both the tenant and landlord. There is the same 

 objection to it that there is to letting land with a fine, 

 with the further evil that the fine is fixed by a keen 

 competition. The principle of tenant-right never was 

 compensation for permanent improvements made by 

 tenants, but sale of the right of occupation. This is 

 proved by the right having been as strongly claimed 

 and allowed where no improvements whatever had 

 been made by the tenant on the farm, or very small 

 improvements, as when there were considerable im- 

 provements. 



