208 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



answer any good purpose, a bad tenant is sure to 

 make a bad proprietor. That is the key of the 

 question and of all the plans of fixity of tenure. 

 All cut off or limit the common chances of improve- 

 ment. All end in small gains to present occupiers, 

 confiscated from the owners, and leave the occupiers 

 just where they were, not raising them a single peg, 

 but more firmly convinced than before that scheming 

 is much better than industry. Instead of having the 

 good habits needful for thriving as proprietors, in- 

 ferior and bad Irish tenants have bad habits, which 

 ensure their failure, whatever position they may 

 hold in whatever walk of life. Trying the experi- 

 ment on the scale that the Church Act and Bright's 

 clauses in the Land Act sanction can do no harm. 

 Bright's clauses might be made more effective, if the 

 Government was empowered to bid for land that 

 is offered for sale. Having bought it, Government 

 might sell the farms to any tenants likely to do well 

 as proprietors, and who would honestly pay one-third 

 of the purchase-money. Much has been urged by 

 Mr. Shaw Lefevre and others, who believe in Peasant 

 Proprietorship, in favour of tenants being required 

 .to pay only one -fourth of the purchase -money, 

 instead of one -third. I believe such a difference 

 is insignificant. It is the difference between 13s. 4d. 

 and 15s.; whoever could pay the one would have no 

 serious difficulty with the other. I prefer one-third 

 because it is rather a more substantial part. 



